I think LOVE itself needs to be defined differently. Love is NOT just a feeling, its a commitment! however, you can love someone but not be able to LIVE with them for various reasons. Doesnt mean you stopped loving them. (But in some cases perhaps you have.) Its a good question!

I believe that it not only goes away, but that it dies. It would be nice toget the love back again, and to receive too. But I think that is going to take a lot of work - and NEVER again with her!

Some people throw it away.....the rest of us get it ripped from us.....

I'm with SouthPau, I think love dies. Or is killed, as in my case.

I'm hoping that someday, I'll find someone that I can create new love with.

The love never goes away. You go through the stages of betrayal, and hurt, and anger, and somewhere along the line at least for me, you forgive. I was married to my x for 27 years. I love him to this day but not the same kind of love as when we were married. I love him because he was a big part of my life for a lot of years and we have many good memories. I am glad that we are still friends. if and when something ever happens to him, I will be very sad.

I still have a love for all of my exes, no matter what happened or how much they hurt me. Not saying that I wouldn't think twice about getting back together with any of them, but once you love someone it seems never to really go away.

A friend of mine said that emotions are like people on a committe. The one doing the most talking is what's primary, but it doesn't mean the others aren't there.

I forgot about that until now.

I agree with both Southpau and Gaelyn. I think it either dies or is killed by neglect or abuse or infidelity or something.

I think love is like a living organism. It needs care and attention to thrive. It needs to be fed in order to grow. It does take commitment by BOTH partners in order to thrive. And not just fidelity, but a commitment to be supportive, caring and nurturing to your partner. It also takes things like honesty, responsibility, an ability to really listen and a willingness to put your partner ahead of your own wants and needs at least part of the time.

Got to love that Carrie Bradshaw. She always asked the most profound questions. I, too, really liked the show and was sad when it ended.

I even asked my stbx that question. How could you have any love for me or the kids and cheat and leave us. Love changes. Maybe it doesn't go away for all of us. I guess with enough hurt it can die, it's not time that kills love. Love for a child is unconditional, they could never do anything that would prevent us from loving. Love for a partner is conditional....leaves alot of space for other things to get in the way.

Laura, I agree there is a difference between love for a child and love for a partner. A child comes into this world totally dependent on us. And it is that vulnerability that makes us love them. They are part of our body and soul. You don't ask a child to fulfill your needs. In fact, it's usually totally opposite in that we are there to take care of their needs.

I think it's extremely difficult to love your partner unconditionally forever because the nature of the relationship is between two people who should be equal partners to some degree. When one person upsets that equilibrium by being dishonest, abusive, mean or whatever, it can be hard to recover that loving feeling. People look to their primary relationship to get certain needs met - like sex, affection, financial security, etc. and when those needs aren't met it can be the death knell of the relationship. Maybe you still love the person, but you may still need to leave the relationship.

What is Love - the eternal question!

i agree with Gemini on this on when one persom upsets the balance of love be being dishonest or cheating it is hard to recover that loving feeling - or to even let that feeling come out again. That scares me - that is not the person I am, but who she is making me become!

My dictionary defines love as "a strong affection for another person, esp. of the opposite sex".

I've experienced love dying (actually, it was murdered) twice. And once it was dead, just like anything else that has died, it can never be resurrected. It's gone. I know that as surely as I knew when I was in love.

I guess it's a different experience for all of us. That's why love is so hard to describe or define.

Looking back on thing I guess loved died a long time ago and neither one of us wanted to admit or at least one of us hoped it was still their or would come back. To me it felt like it died over night. In my case it has almost been replaced by hate.

Here is a thought. "the man shall leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."

Tell me this, if that ISNT true, why is it when one spouse leaves, dies, cheats, whatever, it feels like you have lost part of yourself!!! Each story I listen to and sypathize with expresses this exactly, no matter WHAT jerks they have been. You are litterally tearing half of you out of your life! I think this is part of the reason WHY I am not quite willing YET to just up and leave! Just like most drs wont apuate a limb or do drastic surgery unless you REALLY have to! DIvorce is like that! You are aputating half of you!