Hi Venerina...

Well, those are thought-provoking questions you've set us!

To me, "true love" is really based upon seeing our Creator reflected in each person we meet - particularly our Beloved. We are, I believe, all sons and daughters of the Most High; the Eastern greeting of "Namaste" acknowledges this. True love does not count the cost; and yet does not slavishly sacrifice itself in vain, discerning when and when not to interact with someone, to retain sovereignty. Unconditional love is self-defining - there are no conditions set upon the giving of it. That does not mean that one could not withdraw for a while if that were seen to be the most loving thing to do!

To measure it... one would I think have to be loving oneself; and mindfully assess if the love you were receiving from someone were truly without condition, bearing in mind that you may not yet have realised why they take a particular attitude or action which may appear unloving, but on further maturation and reflection by you be seen to be loving after all. For those who are intuitive or feel the energies, of course, this mental approach would waste time - they could tell almost instantly by using their senses.

I guess making a comparison would be subjective, as we are talking about feelings here - energies - which are sensed rather than thought about (at least in the immediacy of the moment). Perhaps you would compare the love you are questioning with your concept of Unconditional Love.

Soul-mates... I believe that there are two types of harmonious intimate and loving relationship - the Soulmate, who is someone with whom you have a very close rapport (due to many past lives together), and the Twin Flame, who I believe is derived from the high Soulic Realms (so to speak) as male and female aspects of the one spiritual entity or High Soul. These people are said to be totally in tune with one another - even across great distances - and they can accomplish especially wonderful things spiritually because they are so well harmonised with each other. I might add that I believe that they are comparatively rare upon Earth.

By and large, I believe, people are living their lives under the urging of their life-script, which is based upon the karma that they have contracted before birth to try to resolve. This will bring them together with others with whom they can work out the karma; and the attraction may be mistaken for "love", but after a while "when the sh*t hits the fan", they want out of the situation. We are all these days (I believe) experiencing an acceleration of karmic return, and may have karma which is due to be resolved with a number of people before our embodiment is ended; this means that when one partner has finished the mutual karma, one will leave them and go on to the next relationship to be resolved and attempt that.

I hope that the above was not too heavy; but - you asked for it, and there is my honest opinion!

Best wishes,

Ivan

P.S.: Its only 8:50 pm here at the moment!