A Man's love.

That's a woman's love - it stands the test of time, logic, and all circumstance.

And this is exactly how you all expect us men to love you in return. Ask any woman what kind of love she wants from a man, and it will sound something like this: I want him to be humble and smart, fun and romantic, sensitive and gentle, and, above all, supportive. I want him to look in my eyes and tell me I'm beautiful and that I complete him. I want a man who is vulnerable enough to cry when he's hurting, who will introduce me to his mother with a smile on his face, who loves children and animals, and who is willing to change diapers and wash dishes and do it all without me having to ask. And if he has a nice body and a lot of money and expensive shows without scuffs, that would be great, too. Amen.

Well, I'm here to tell you that expecting that kind of love - that perfection - from a man is unrealistic. That's right, I said it - it's not going to happen, no way, no how. Because a man's love isn't like a woman's love.

Don't get it confused, now - I'm not saying that we're not capable of loving. I'm just saying that a man's love is different - much more simple, direct, and probably a little harder to come by. I'll tell you this much: a man who is in love with you is probably not going to call you very half hour and give you an update on how much more he loves you at 5:30PM than he did at 5:00PM; he's not going to sit around stroking your hair and wiping your brow with cold compresses while you sip hot tea and nurse yourself back to health.

His love is still love, though.

It's just different from the love that women give and, in a lot of cases, want.

I argue that if you simply recognize how, exactly, a man loves, you might find that the man standing in front of you is, indeed, giving you his all and then some. How do you know when a man loves you? Simple: he will do each of the following three things.

Profess, Provide and Protect.


A Woman's love.

Nothing on this planet can compare with a woman's love - it is kind and compassionate, patient and nurturing, generous and sweet and unconditional. Pure. If you are her man, she will walk on water and through a mountain for you, too, no matter how you've acted out, no matter what crazy thing you've done, no matter the time or demand. If you are her man, she will talk to you until there just aren't any more words left to say, encourage you when you're at rock bottom and think there just isn't any way out, hold you up in her arms when you're sick, and laugh with you when you're up. And if you're her man and that woman loves you - I mean really loves you? - she will shine you up when you're dusty, encourage you when you're down, defend you even when she's not so sure you were right, and hang on your every word, even when you're not saying anything worth listening to. And no matter what you do, no matter how many times her friends say you're no good, no matter how many times you slam the door on the relationship, she will give you her very best and then some, and keep right on trying to win over your heart, even when you act like everything she's done to convince you she's The One just isn't good enough.

That's a woman's love - it stands the test of time, logic and all circumstance.

- Steve Harvey
;7/15/2009 04:23:00 pm