It's that time of year again: Valentine's Day. A time when the L word is thrown around left and right, but what does it truly mean? Everyone has their own definition of what love is. To me, love is that feeling of peace and happiness you get from being around someone you care about, whether it be a friend, family member or significant other. I decided to ask some of my friends what their definition of love is, and got some pretty interesting responses. So let these amazing people's thoughts on love put a smile on your face, just as they did mine.

"Love is a very complicated word. It's just as much an emotion as it is a verb. I feel love when I'm around people that are important to me, but I show that I love them by day in and day out, accepting and valuing them for who they are. Never looking for anything more, doing things to make them happy, and letting all of my walls down." --Sarah

"Love to me is more than just affection and doing nice things for each other. It's sharing a certain level of comfort with someone. True love is when your girlfriend is on the couch watching Netflix in sweatpants and one of your old hoodies, eating last night's pizza and not wearing any makeup, and you say to yourself, 'There is no one else in the world I'd rather be spending time with.' That's how I see it." --Nick

"To me, love means that you always have someone to rely on and that they'll help you and be there for you when you need it." --Danielle

"Love is a choice. You either choose to look for it or you choose to accept it when it finds you. It comes in many forms and can be expressed in the simplest smile. Love is the beginning and the end of many stories." --Andie

"For me, love is far more than a physical or sexual attraction towards another person. It's about spending enough time with another person that you begin to identify certain things-- personality traits, quirks, phrases, jokes, interests-- that make time and all else fade into the background in importance when you're together, and that make you feel like you're not quite whole or yourself when you're not with them. Sure there's the desire to connect with them on a physical level, but that bleeds into an emotional, mental and spiritual desire as well. I think that's what our generation keeps getting wrong. There's a definite difference between lust and love. We're too quick to run down the path of lusting after someone only to find that path ends abruptly and tumultuously. To take a lyric from The Beatles: 'All you need is love, love. Love is all you need.'" --Eric

"Love is a lot of compassion, a little of worry, and no ending." --Annah

"Love isn't something exclusive to a romantic relationship. I feel love for my art, my friends, the natural world. Love is the emotion that fills your soul and makes you better or calmer or happier or prouder or more beautiful than you would have been otherwise." --Kayla

"To me, love is unconditional, sacrificial and kind. I believe that love is the strongest force in the universe, in its many different forms. Whether it is romantic, between friends, among a family, for a child or a sibling, love constantly surprises us and supports us through life. Love transforms lives, and we should all live in a way that encourages love and kindness for all people." --Ailih

"Love to me is unconditional acceptance. It is comfort without compromise. It is warmth and security. It is challenging and encompassing and nurturing. Love is chicken nuggets." --Robert

"To me, love is having the respect to be fully present for someone in whatever way they need it. It is taking care of your child when they're sick, it is staying up late talking with a friend and it is honoring their deepest needs and desires, whatever those may be." --Ayla

"Love is a deep affection. It is patient, kind, and endures all things." --Lia

And of course, I had to get my parents, the people who taught me what love looks like and the reason I am here, to weigh in on the subject.

"Love is a verb that means putting others before yourself. The following is from First Corinthians 13: 'Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.'" --Dad

"Love is marrying your best friend, wanting to give all that you can when you can. Love is making dreams, sharing love and life together." --Mom

Love is all around you, even in the quietest moments. It's in every smile, every tender gesture and concern for your well-being. Keep your eyes open, and you'll notice at least one person who loves you. This Valentine's Day, and every day after, let the special people in your life know they are loved.