Love = effort?

A late-day blog entry. I’m sitting at my desk, dressed in the cloth of gold dress, waiting to leave for a dinner 10 pm reservation at Cicada.
Cynical as I am, I’m not one for enjoying a consumer based Valentine’s Day, but I do like a quiet celebration. So I made an effort to make today a little special. Tod & I enjoyed brunch at home, complete with a magnum of champers which we finished off over the course of the afternoon as we listened to jazz and classical music, following along with the sheet music of some of the Bach fugues. It was relaxing.
After we finished eating, but before the wine had gone to our heads, Tod decided to return my favor. He made a reservation at Cicada, a Mediterranean restaurant I’ve been wanting to try for a while, hence the dressing up aspect of our day. (Tod’s even donned his one-and-only suit for the occasion.)
But we had a philosophical disagreement. I say love requires effort. Tod says effort comes naturally with love. “The things you do to show your love are effortless,” he insists.
I think it boils down to a definition of effort. In my world, effort is healthy, good and often quite enjoyable. Apparently in Tod’s world, effort is a struggle. How about your world?