True love?

A concept I didn't believe existed. I thought in my ignorance that love was tolerating the follies of your friends. That is a good basis for a partnership if one needs a partner and hasn't found a lifemate. The line however is thin yet undeniable. with friends there are aggravations. Things one is not so fond of, things one really doesn't like, and the degree of friendship is how well one can tolerate how much of their personailty and behavior. Good friends, best friends even, have minimal conflict. things they can just keep quiet about and never stir the waters because the friendship is more important. True love, as I am finding out with my Beloved Deimos is so much more than that. His little quirks are endearing not aggravating, even things I would not tolerate in other men I find appealing in him. Jealousy is one I have mentioned before. His manifests as a desire to keep me safe, even from himself. He does not get mad at me for being who I am, he gets mad at himself for not being able to keep the promise he made. I had told him what I was before we agreed to date. He said it was ok, then found it wasn't. I admit I had half expected such, and was not overly surprised, but I was stunned to realize I didn't mind. that shocked the hell out of me. Friendship accepts and tolerates the aggravations. Love trancends them. Love does not see inadequacies, not because it is blind as is so pften purported, but because it accepts these as part and parcel of one's love, and loves all of that person. I just asked him and he said so that I could sleep with an entire football team and come back and he would still love me, would love me more for doing what I felt I needed to. and I believe him. That is LOVE. and the difference is impossible to see before one finds a true life mate, a True Love. Happy hunting, Ashes.