Love and it's pitfalls

One of the best lines I heard from somebody is that love is eternal...yes it is...but is love eternal or the person you love is eternal?
Don't know what it is but certainly one thing is clear - love is not ambigious...either it is there or not...I had thousand of crushes in my life...who doesn't?
But somebody reciprocated and I held on to it as it is love? What if she hadn't responded?
It would have been among my thousand crushes....Would I have then lived on with somebody?
Yes, Yes...I would have fallen in love again...then what is love?
Is it just a feeling of care for someone? I never believed in it...what? No...love is respect and admiration....as my wife would say - respect is earned and not forced on...then I ask her - is it so?
I asked myself one question - Do I respect myself?
I think I do...never let my emotions go through when I could have easliy allowed to...why?
The other thing was not worth the pain of seeing someone cry because of me...not allowing anyone to use me...nor giving anything to anybody which was less than my capabilites...Honour of doing everything honestly....Yes, sirs and Ma'm - I respect myself....
I love myself....everything around becomes wonderful...I can love anyone I want to...coz I know I will never dishonour myself...
Pitfall is when I admire someone - should I call it love again? Knock...Knock...