Young love is a flame; very pretty, often very hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. ~Henry Ward Beecher
Ah, young love . . . Growing up, I got a lot of my ideas on how relationships worked from TV shows. I grew up with shows like The Cosby Show, Family Ties, and Growing Pains. Whenever one of the teenage boy characters on these shows had to ask someone to a dance or out on a date, they would sweat and panic at the idea. They would be all nervous around their object of affection and could not think straight to even carry on a conversation. I remember the female characters would always be sitting by the phone, waiting, hoping, praying for it to ring. The minutes would drag by and would seem like hours. They planned their walks to class around the notion of bumping into their object of affection. It consumed their thoughts and minds. That normally ended up talking up the majority of the 30 minute show.
When I was younger, I always thought this was weird. But then I found myself sitting by the phone, changing my route to class and batting my eyes at the person playing the male lead in my real-life sitcom. Why do we do that?
Love is a powerful force, but then again, so is like. When I followed these guys around and cleared my schedules to accommodate them, I certainly was not in love. I was experiencing attraction . . . . the beginnings of a like relationship. I giggled (ugh.), I smiled, I waved, I flirted. Often these types of relationships are described as “young love”.
Love is a big word. We throw the term love around like it is as easy to do as it is to say.
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13 that love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.
Are you ready for that kind of commitment? Is that something you are willing to sign up for? My husband did not say “I love you” until the moment he was down on one knee, offering me a ring. He had always said “the next time I say I love you to someone, I am going to be sure I am committing to it forever.” Love is a powerful thing. Be confident you can fulfill your commitment before you offer yours to another.
