Love is not love which alters

As I was reading sonnet 116, I really enjoyed the phrase, "love is not love/which alters when it alteration finds." I am confident that I have so much to learn about love, but this I know to be true. Real love is unconditional. Real love remains constant, even when everything around it is changing. I think that Desdemona exemplifies this well, as she continues to assert her love for Othello even as the world around them comes tumbling down and Othello renounces every bit of love he ever proclaimed for her. I think it's also important to recognize that this definition of love doesn't just apply to romantic love. In my relationships with my roommates, parents, siblings, leaders, and friends, I would do well to remember that even amid disagreements or challenges, my love for these people remains. If my love is conditional upon good circumstances or perfect everyday life, or even being loved back, then it is not true love. Real love does not ask for anything in return. Real love stays real throughout every alteration it finds.

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