Originally Posted by
Needabreak 
And most of all, people change over time. Our needs change, our dreams change. If I put another person up on a pedestal, and try to freeze a "perfect" relationship in amber, then I am only surrendering my own judgment, my own responsibility as an autonomous individual to hold others accountable for their behavior toward me.
This, yes. Love is fluid, changing, flexible. Love doesn't erode who we are individually & is a place where we feel free to be our authentic selves & continue growing separately & together.
I think there are a lot of different "Loves" in this world for each of us, a lot of different combinations of qualities that we can be attracted to & compatible with. I believe in immediate connections & that you can have that feeling with more than just ONE person in a lifetime. (especially since we change so much throughout our life experiences) But love builds, it isn't about that firecracker moment.
That's why I think, again, that it all comes back to Self-Love & Self-Trust first & foremost. With that in play (IMO) you are less willing to accept unloving & untrustworthy behavior from others around you in your close, personal relationships.
Great thread!