"What do you mean? Aren't they the same thing?"

"Physically – I mean, as far as the physical act – yes, they are usually the same. But emotionally – in my heart – they are two very different things. I suppose you could think of them this way: sex is the physical act, and making love is the emotional joining."

"I kinda see what you're saying."

"Okay, how about this: sex is what two animals do to make more animals; the whole biblical go-forth-and-multiply thing. Making love is when two people join in the physical act of sharing their hearts with each other."

"Okay, I understand that."

"Now, here's the tricky part: sex can be as simple as two dogs making new puppies, or as complicated as a boyfriend and girlfriend relationship. Making love usually means the physical act, but there can be a making of love without the physical joining."

"I'm confused, now. How does that work? And what's the difference?"

"For the sex part, it's a matter of how each of them cares for the other. If they like each other enough, they can join in physical pleasure without getting their hearts involved – kind of like helping each other feel good." – a smile from her – "Making love is something else. Suppose that a woman was married to a man that had been hurt in such a way that he was physically unable to have sex with her. But, because he has given his heart – his love – to her, he may find another way to bring her physical pleasure. To me, taking a physical action to make another person happy, _without worrying about your own pleasure or satisfaction_ is what 'making love' is all about. Got it?" I asked.

"Yeah, I think so. But what is love?"

(Damn! And I thought I was gonna get away clean!) I answered with "I don't think there's one answer that would make everybody happy – I expect that there are as many opinions on that as there are people. For me, though, it's when another person means as much, or more, to you than yourself."