What is love?

My working definition of love is: an outpouring of longing and affection that does not require, need, or want return. 

You will know that you love someone when you don’t need them to change in any way and you don’t require that they love you back. This is the end of attachment which is love in its purest form. 

From the cross Jesus had no expectations of the people around him. His outpouring of longing and affection took the shape of these famous words, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Think of your love for a newborn child. What are your expectations of the baby? There are none. Love just pours out of you like water running from a faucet left on.