What is real love? (Part 1)

What is real love? Are you supposed to feel something, or is it a choice? How can I love someone unconditionally?

True love is a high and holy principle, altogether different in character from that love which is awakened by impulse and which suddenly dies when severely tested (Letters to Young Lovers, E.G.White, 1983, page. 29)

Some years ago, we discussed dating, how long we should date before getting married, etc. That night someone said something that got my attention. She said: Love is a choice so that we can skip courting and get married. Till today I'm curious if disregarding the courting part is ok; maybe some people did it like that, but what got my attention was that love is a choice. I had never heard before that love is a choice.

As a growing-up Adventist, I never heard that part about what real love is. Since 12 years old -yes, I was too young- I got plenty of courting lessons. One thing that always came forth is that you need to court for two years and the guy needs to be two years older than you. Meanwhile, growing up, marriage was very sacred to me. There was always this man saying: You can't choose who your parents are, but you can choose who you would marry. That stuck with me till now. Marriage is holy; your salvation is at hand. I don't want to lose my salvation because of a bad decision; that's why I never dated. Also, I considered myself too young.

Three to four years ago, I read the book "The five love languages." That was the first time I could recall what she had told me some years prior. Love is a choice. In the future, I'm reading now "Letters to Young Lovers." This book explains the difference between blind love and real love. My question is: "do you know what the difference is"?

Look forward for part 2!