Quoting one of my favorite movies,The Wedding Planner, here is how Maria's dad explained to her that he had an arranged marriage with her mom.

We couldn't even look at each other.
I was in love with another girl...
and your mother wanted nothing to do with me.
She said I had big eyebrows and a low IQ
Anyway, one day...
I got very sick with scarlet fever...
and she stayed by my side.
She took good care of me.
For the first time...
I appreciated her.
Then the appreciation grew to respect.
Respect grew to like.
Then like grew to love.
A deeper love than I could ever hope for.
I quote this because I love how well it explains the difference
between loving someone and having respect for them.  There is
a HUGE difference.

To me, the most important difference is that we can be forced to
respect someone, but we can not ever be forced to love someone.

I remember hearing a message from a youth pastor as a kid
explaining why everyone isn't saved.  He explained how God never
wanted robots, He wants us to choose to love Him - to choose to live
for Him.  Then he said something that I will never forget and has
stayed with me forever.  He said, "God does not rape us.  Rape is
simply forced love, and He will never force His love on us or force
us to love Him."  Wow.

Pondering on this fact, and the reality of the nature of God, and of
His love, I also think about how others choose to love us.  Sure, their
love of course is from God as well, after all, God is love - but how
beautiful that they choose to love us.

We can never force anyone to like us or love us.  We can force
them to respect them through punishments when necessary or
with other ways, but love can't be forced.  With this, it's beautiful
when people do acts of love for us.  It's great when they respond
to something we ask of them, but it's even more beautiful when
they respond to one of our needs out of their love.

I think it's hilarious when kids will see a zit on my face or upper
back and then they'll pop it for me.  It's gross, yeah, but it's out
of love.

It's beautiful when a kid sees that someone is in pain, and they
choose to give them a foot massage to help make the pain go
away.

Sure, there's tons of ways that people display their love - lots of
times it is simply a hug or kiss, and at other times there are
quirky things, but whatever it is - it's sacrificial - it's intentional -
it's heart-felt, and simply, it's love when they are choosing to
display it.