Dragon's blog: "What is 'Love'?"

Ponder the meaning of the word: Friend. It seems such an obvious thing, friendship, and yet often it becomes so very complicated. There is a fine line between friendship and parenting, and when that line is crossed, the result is often disastrous. A parent who strives to make a true friend of their child may very well sacrifice authority, and though the parent may be comfortable with surrendering that dominany position, the unintentional result will be to steal from that child the necessary guidance and, more importantly, the sense of securitythe parent is supposed to impart. On the opposite side, a friend who takes a role as a parent forgets the most important ingredient of friendship: Respect. For Respect is the guiding principle of Friendship; the lighthouse beacon that directs the course of any true friendship. And Respect demands Trust... Though we will often look back over our shoulders and wonder, we will hold fast to our understanding of Friendship, of Trust, and of Respect. We accept, grudgingly, but resolutley, our divergent paths... On that level, 'Friendship' seems such an obvious thing, and yet, so very, very complicated...

We each have our own path to tread. That seems such a simple and obvious thought, but in a world of relationships where so many people sublimate their own true feelings and desires in 'consideration' of others, we often take many steps off that true path. In the end, though, if we are to be truly happy, we must follow our hearts, and find our way - alone, or with those that share the same road.

Ultimately, your 'soulmate' is not the one who 'completes' you -- they are the one who 'compliments' you... They are the one who will share many of the same likes/dislikes you may have, but will have just enough differences to compliment your personality...so it is ok to share the same desires, vices, likes, dislikes, faults, etc., as long as they are not ultimately destructive... This is when the ability to anticipate your loved one's needs is at its best. It becomes an instinctive thing rather than a 'trying to please' thing...You will find yourself doing things simply motivated by the fact that you know what your partner's reaction will be, and most of the time you will not even realize you are doing it... You will never be so angry at someone, but at the same time so anxious to resolve the issue to get back to the level of comfort that you share with the one who 'compliments' you. We often tend to hate in others what we hate in ourselves...For example, I hate procrastinators, yet at times find my myself procrastinating with the best of them...lol BUT! That being said, I can accept that in myself, (although I may seriously dislike myself at times for it!) and as such find a way to look past it in others to the person beyond their faults... Love, honest love, requires Empathy. It is a sharing - of joy, of pain, of laughter, of tears. It make's one's soul a reflection of the partner's moods., and as a room seems larger when it is lined with mirrors, so do the joys, and pains, become amplified. But...the beauty of love, whether in passion or friendship, is that the 'sharing' multiplies the joys and thins the pains. This 'empathy' gives us purpose... Without purpose, we find no satisfaction. Without satisfaction, we find no contentment, and without contentment, we find no joy...