Saying "I love you"

Yes, I admit it. I am a completely hopelessly incurable romantic. And I have a large collection of romantic comedy and romantic drama DVDs to prove it. I am especially addicted to that climactic profession of love.

One of my favorite is from the German film "Im Juli (In Julie/July [double entendre])".

After Daniel, the main character, abandoned Juli, the title character, he realized his love for her. And when they met, again, Daniel said:

Meine Herzallerliebste, Ich bin Tausende von Meilen gegangen, ich habe Flüsse überquert, Berge versetzt. Ich habe gelitten und ich habe Qualen über mich ergehen lassen. Ich bin der Versuchung widerstanden und ich bin der Sonne gefolgt, um dir gegenüberstehen zu können und dir zu sagen: „Ich liebe dich“.

Here's my translation to English:
My heart's most dearest love, I've walked a thousand miles, I've crossed rivers, climbed mountains. I have suffered and allowed myself to be overtaken by agonies. I have withstood temptation and I've followed the sun in order to be able to stand before you and to say to you, "I love you."

Ironically, it's not something I would do. I believe that "I love you" means more than just "I want to be with you".

The feeling of euphoria, that draws two people together, comes and goes throughout courtship. But true love is a commitment. So, I prefer not to mislead young ladies that I date with false "I love you"'s when I am clearly not able to make such a commitment.

If "I love you" does not mean "I want to be with you", then how do I define love? Here's my definition.

To Love: to put what is best for the other ahead of what's best for one's self.

If I love you, I put what's best for you ahead of what's best for me.

Only when both partners are willing, to put what's best for the other ahead of what's best for one's self, are both partners ready for a relationship.

The best example is the short story "The Gift of the Magi" by William Sydney Porter (under "le nom de plume" O Henry).

For Christmas, the husband wanted to give his wife something that would edify her. Since she had beautiful long flowing hair, he wanted to give her an expensive set of combs and clips.

The wife wanted to give her husband something that would edify him. Since he had an heirloom watch, passed down from his father, and it was without a watch chain, she wanted to give him a suitable watch chain.

Neither had money for their purchases. So the husband pawned his watch to buy the set of combs and clips and the wife sold her hair to buy the watch chain.

On Christmas day, when they opened their presents, they discovered that they had given each other the most precious gift of all: true love.

That's how I prefer to say, "I love you."