Love is an action, less an emotion (though not necessarily unconnected). Love always seeks that which is best for the other person, even if the other person does not see it or want it.

What is best for the other person can be drawn from two sources. This which originates in a person or that which originates in God. If the former, look and see where this has gotten us. We live in a society full of moral and emotional corruption. Those who criticize the latter fail to see what love truly is and refuse to see that the love of Gods is not the problem, only that people in their selfishness have corrupted God’s love for their own ends.

Love is frequently seen as an emotion that allows the other person to be who they are, and while this may be an aspect of love, it is not love. Would you allow a person to be who they are if they are destructive to self, or others?

Neither is love is an emotion that seeks to satisfy self in earthly pleasures, though it is frequently used in that context. That is nothing but hedonism, selfishness.

When you say, “I love you” – what is it you mean?