My BIG QUESTION

What are the boundaries of love and sacrifice, and where does one draw the line between them?

This question is one that often appears in literature and affects almost every relationship a person has. Prevalent in my life, I have often wondered the degree to which a person will sacrifice themselves in order to love and receive love in return. I believe that if one is truly in love, they will be willing to sacrifice (to a certain degree) and in this case the word will not completely apply: offering becomes a better directive rather than the suffering that is implied by sacrifice. If the feelings are not mutual the one offering risks being taken advantage of to the point of sacrificing. This is the thin line that one must walk in order to be content in love and life. I believe that the line is crossed and one enters sacrificial territory when they are unhappy and are not reveiving in return.

In my own life, I have observed much love, offering, and sacrifice. My parents have done an enormous amount in order to love each other, including my father's concession to live in America with my mother, rather than his home coutry of Colombia. This decision also involves their love for my brother and I, because we were a major determinant. They wanted us to be able to grow up in a place where we would be assured more safety and have more opportunities than would be offered us in Colombia. Because my father would probably prefer to live in Colombia with his entire family, be able to speak his native language, and continue in the culture he is familiar with, I believe this was a sacrifice on his part. He sacrificed his happiness for his family and has accepted this, almost putting it in terms of an offering but not completely.