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I feel kind of lame for it, but I really love Ayn Rand quotes. I can't help but relate to most of the things she says.

Love is an expression and assertion of self-esteem, a response to one's own values in the person of another. One gains a profoundly personal, selfish joy from the mere existence of the person one loves. It is one's own personal, selfish happiness that one seeks, earns, and derives from love.

Love is the expression of one's values, the greatest reward you can earn for the moral qualities you have achieved in your character and person, the emotional price paid by one man for the joy he receives from the virtues of another.

It's really true. I only really find anyone attractive after enjoying some aspect of them. Whether it's the way that they look or the way they hold themselves, something is obviously needed to spur that attraction (or I'd be attracted to everyone). I value logic, beauty, underlying modesty, competence, temperance, fortitude, and prudence (to be honest, not so much justice)... I wish I could represent all of these things, so I strive for that.

If I love anyone, they hold these values. I admire them, hold them in high regard, and want to be with them in hopes some of that will be associated with me/rub off on me.

I think the worst feeling is having committed to a relationship (sexual or otherwise), and realizing that something wasn't there that you originally thought was. I assume logic is somewhere inside of them as I, panicked, attempt to rationalize or justify what they think according to the personality that I've made concrete in my head. It's more a feeling of embarrassment than anything, as usually it's the result of some kind of projection, misinterpreted message, or belief of some lie or something. It's just such a depressing, breaking moment. Usually results in some loss of respect for the person- but it seems so selfish when I write it down. But like Rand says, it's a really selfish happiness in the first place.

Maybe I like her quotes for the justification purposes- but really, why couldn't I come to such a concrete solution myself? I know I don't like grey areas, but I guess something like love can't be so objective.