What does love mean?

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8

year-olds, "What does love mean?"

The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have

imagined. See what you think:

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint

her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time,

even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."

Rebecca- age 8

When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You

just know that your name is safe in their mouth."

Billy - age 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne

and they go out and smell each other."

Karl - age 5

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French

fries without making them give you any of theirs."

Chrissy -age 6

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."

Terri - age 4

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip

before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."

Danny - age 7

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of

kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and

Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss"

Emily - age 8

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening

presents and listen."

Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend

who you hate,"

Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it

everyday."

Noelle - age 7

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still

friends even after they know each other so well."

Tommy - age 6

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked

at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He

was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore."

Cindy - age 8

"My mummy loves me more than anybody . You don't see anyone else

kissing me to sleep at night."

Clare - age 6

"Love is when Mummy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."

Elaine-age 5

"Love is when Mummy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is

handsomer than Robert Redford."

Chris - age 7

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone

all day."

Mary Ann - age 4

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old

clothes and has to go out and buy new ones."

Lauren - age 4

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars

come out of you." (what an

imagination)

Karen - age 7

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's

gross."

Mark - age 6

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you

mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."

Jessica - age 8

And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked

about a contest he was asked to judge.

The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an

elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man

cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto

his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to

the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry"

Aw bless