When did I first recognize love?

This is a contest for Real Simple magazine and the question is so thought provoking to me. We don't know what love is when we are children and we don't know what love is when we are adolescents, overcome with hormones and think we really love that cute boy sitting next to us. And love isn't necessarily about a romantic relationship.

Love is the way my grandfather took care of my grandmother when she suffered from dementia. He took care of her with patience and understanding, never raised his voice. He died just 4 months after her.

Love is the way my uncle devoted every Sunday afternoon to my mother after my dad died, going over her household bills, even though he had his own young family. He was the person I called first when her mental illness took hold. I was amazed that he wept at my Aunt's funeral and said how much he missed my mom and now would miss his other sister. I thought he took care of my mom because of obligation, I learned differently that day. He saw through her illness and self-medication to the dynamo she was inside.

Love is the faithfulness of a beloved dog who struggled to get to his feet to greet his master just one last time as he was dying.