If you ask people who are already in a long-term (15yrs+) relationship, who are doing the work, who have been through some stuff together, who are negotiating the realities of their combined existence, well, you get a slightly different (and shorter) kind of answer. Like these:
Love is not leaving the room
Love is an exploding cigar we willingly smoke.
Many times their definition of love hints at the sacrifices they willingly made for one another. They also sound as if they have already completely given themselves over and hoped for the best.
One thing seems certain; you can’t have love without guts.
