Since this year’s Live Pure Conference is just a few days before us, I've decided to write something about the main thing concerning the event – love.

Love is… what is love again? Or rather, what is not love about?

Speaking from a Filipino's perspective, remember those - “What is love?” questions scribbled down on your autograph book which was a big hit during your elementary days? As cliché as it may sound, the usual answer I can recall to that tale-old question is, “Love is like a rosary that is full of mysteries,” Feel free to roll your eyes and laugh at the latter statement because yes – these were 10 to 12-year-olds defining that love is a mystery.

Although as I grew older, I came to realize that love isn't a mystery. Neither is it blind nor is in the air – because honestly, 10-year-old me found those 2 statements hilarious but accepted its definition anyway. Falling in and out of love fast and the inevitable getting your heart broken was a practice I started quite young but until now haven’t even mastered yet. Sure it was all fun and games back then, but between those careless and petty almost-relationships I felt happiness and pain. And it was somehow too much for a then 14-year-old to handle.

Over the course of years, I've met people who know a thing or two about what love really is. And of course, you have to have a first-hand experience on the actual shindig.

One thing I've learned is that love is not only based on feelings but rather is mostly up to our decisions. Sure, you can like someone just for a very short period of time just because of the attraction you feel towards that person, but eventually those butterflies will die down and the urge to make an effort will fade. This is where the decision-making comes in – will you still love that person despite the lack of attraction and spark you feel? If yes, then I commend you for owning up to that person. If not, then pack your bags and start reflecting.

Another thing about love that I've learned is that there is no such thing as indispensable love. Love is not an easy thing to get rid of. If it does fade, it wasn't love to start with. But of course it still depends on a case to case basis depending on what kind of love you’re leaning on. Not only am I talking about the romantic side of it, but take a look at your family and friends – is your love towards them in any kind disposable?

The last thing I've learned about love, and I found it in a really unexpected place to begin with – is that attachment is a common misconception for love. If you've watched that episode on How I Met Your Mother when Robin told Ted that, “… the future is scary. But you just can’t run back to the past because it’s familiar.” And reading that line over and over again does make a lot of sense if you think about it.

My best friend told me the other day that familiarity is one of the better comforts known to human. And who can blame us for being ideologically dense for believing that love is the same thing as to attachment but in fact we're just used to having that person around? This, in all honesty - I'm still experiencing.

I've had my fair share of taking and giving away (quite a lot) of love, feeling attraction towards other people and the like - but one thing's for sure, love should never be in a mediocre extent.

God Himself loved and is still loving us, and we are here to believe that He is the Almighty one - so who are we to treat love as an instant, spur-of-the-moment feeling? More so on the people we try to show our love to. If you want the right kind of love, give out the right kind of love. 

I have still so much to learn about love and these are only some of the few things I've learned and experienced. I also feel blessed that I'll be attending an event solely with the purpose of letting people know what love truly is.

If you're in Metro Manila and is more than interested to know what love is, head on over to the SMX Convention Center on July 13. Bring your family and friends and share the right kind of love!