What’s Love Got to Do With It?

I’ve been thinking lately about some of my favorite love stories. I’ve said more than once that Jude Deveraux’s A Knight in Shining Armor is probably my favorite romance novel of all time – because it was the first one that truly touched me in a deeply emotional way and made me feel something. It was also the first book that ever made me cry. I also love books that can make me laugh, which is why some of my favorite authors now are Kristan Higgins, Christie Craig and Jill Shalvis. Phenomenal writers!

But, if you get to the crux of what makes a love story work, what do you think that is? Think of some of the timeless ones . . .

Romeo and Juliet.

Titanic. (Well, to me it’s timeless.)

Casablanca.

And not to get on a religious soap box, but I do believe the most poignant love story of all time could arguably be the story of Jesus Christ. John 3:16 has become more than a Bible verse, it’s almost a cultural phrase now, bandied about with little regard for its true meaning. But do you remember what those words are?

Think hard.

For God so loved the world He . . . what?

He gave.

Now whether you believe or not, the idea of that kind of purity and giving out of love – for nothing in return – is a true love story.

So what do all of these have in common?

Sacrifice.

I’ll go out on a limb here and say that I believe that as people, what we’re yearning for in an elemental way in our love stories – in our hearts – is a love that gives, expecting nothing in return. Because that is truly when love is at its best.

Wouldn’t you agree?