Love means willing to sacrifice your own happiness to ensure that the person you love gets what she needs.
Whoa, Cat, I disagree. I subscribe to Harley's beliefs on the issue of unconditional love. Here are two excerpts from Harley, link to full Q&A afterwards:
"Now I will tackle an issue that gets me into all kinds of trouble -- unconditional love. The position I take seems almost sacrilegious, but the more I have thought about the issue, the more convinced I am that I'm right. And I also believe that my position is consistent with the highest moral values.
You mention in your letter that your "unconditional love is a cord that holds us together." But I believe that unconditional love usually ruins marriages instead of saving them."
-and-
"First, lets take a moment to review the two unhealthy rules:
Unconditional Love for your spouse: Do whatever you can to make your spouse happy and avoid anything that makes your spouse unhappy (even if it makes you unhappy).
Unconditional Love for yourself: Do whatever you can to make yourself happy and avoid anything that makes yourself unhappy (even if it makes your spouse unhappy).
The first rule is wrong because it does not take your own feelings into account, and the second rule is wrong because it does not take your spouse's feelings into account.
I think you can see by now where I am headed. I want a new rule that takes the feelings of both you and your spouse into account simultaneously. The rule should read: Do whatever you can to make you and your spouse happy at the same time, and avoid anything that will make either you or your spouse unhappy.
To make it seem a little easier to understand and apply, I have changed it to read, "Never do anything without an enthusiastic agreement between you and your spouse." I call this rule the Policy of Joint Agreement."
http://www.marriagebuilders.com/graphic/mbi5038_qa.htmlI believe romantic love is the goal....