Congrats Ryuuchi! Do something to make the rest of us sorting out our lives proud. No one has complete wisdom, so all of the statements on love you--and the rest of the anons--made on love are much valued. I have learned from this thread, and now I understand this strange word a bit better. Or at least it's questions.

It seems there is a dissagreement on what love is to each of us, I agree with >>41 about romance, but it's a small part of what I see as love. Love can be unasked for concern, or it can be selfish (as a girl a lot like >>41 has told me), changing another's image to your heart's yearning. All of these are at one time or another called love. Is love that chemical attraction that makes you help another? Is it deep trust in another... a crush of sorts? I don't pretend to have any answers, and we all need to answer at some point.

Another issue I have with some of you, is you see love as an absolute and based on specific experience, when in effect it works by degree. I understand you need experience I do not have to truly grok this, but such a concept is not unreal (we've felt it before) unless we will it to be so. Ryuuchi, you've expressed thankfullness, you've shown determination (self-love perhaps?), and for that I cannot say you have no love. Fight on.

I hope my post doesn't seem to mushy, it's basically an attempt at clarifying the issue. I will follow the thread, if not just because Ryuuchi is like me. I am trying to set up a new life after high school, I am smart, and I am a complete fool. But failure, in love and life, is a binding perspective... do not be so fettered as I have.