Lots of good points in this.

You should never ask someone to do something you wouldn't be willing to do yourself.

Someone once said, "one can give without loving, but none can love without giving." I think there is a lot in that. Whether considering love as an emotion, an attitude, a noun, or a verb, part of love always wants to give. Whether it's giving attention, a seat on the bus, or life itself, love wants to give. Not just share or exchange or loan; those are also important part of the human social exchange, but they aren't selfless: they can be self seeking and unloving.
Even if all the gift is is the love, love gives.

So, with Mumblebear's post, I've come to a conclusion:

With a handful of rare exceptions, love MUST be mutual, involving (at least) two people. There will be complaints about this, because "unrequited love" is this big thing for some folks, thanks to poets and songwriters and YA fiction authors.

FUCK unrequited love. The closest thing it comes to true love is in that cliched bit of needlepoint wisdom: "If you love someone, let it go, yadda yadda it never was." (I may someday start a series of needlepoint patterns that take out the bulk of the saying and leave yadda yadda in its place.)

Other than that? Unrequited love is either abusive or stalkerish, depending on whether or not the target of the 'love' uses the situation or wishes to extricate themselves from it.

If the person you once loved (mutually) no longer loves you? It's not love anymore, no matter how strongly you still feel for them. Talk it through, make sure their own part of the love is truly dead--and if it is, go back to the needlepoint. Mourn the death of the relationship, for that IS worth some grieving, if it was a good one, and then leave it in the same mental graveyard memorial in which you put your feelings for your childhood friendships that have dissolved.

The exceptions that I can think of exist only in cases where the love once existed, but no longer can:

1: One side is dead.
2: One person is suffering from Alzheimer's, or some other condition wherein they can no longer recognize the other person.

I'm sure other exceptions along those lines can be determined.

Thoughts?

A-fucking-men.

I second that sentiment.

Agreed.

I have certainly had feelings for people, and knew that those feelings weren't returned. Suck it up, and keep a lid on it. You don't want someone dating you just because you like them and they don't a. have anything better to do, or 2. don't want to hurt you feelings. It's a safe bet that this will only end up hurting more in the end.

Ancient Hebrews and Greeks really knew how to break that shit down.

As for my own take, I'll assert that love is dedication. Those things you are available to, that you support with yopur material and internal resources, these are the things you love.

Its being comfortable enough with someone to be honest and simple.

That can't be right, because then I would love pretty much everyone. And that's just ridiculous.

Turns out you're a lover, not a hater.