Love isn't transactional

 Before my parting with my ex, I can recall him trying to convince me that... 

 "Love is transactional."  

Whatever explanation you provide to me, or to another person--that is completely inaccurate as a way to describe love.

Love isn't transactional.

From that logic, we are inferring that in order to be loved, we must give love-this is indeed transactional, but it does not describe love. Basically, that means bonding with your significant other is a task that you must accomplish to acquire something in return. It's like collecting a paycheck after working hard.

However, this is what my ex tried to explain to me, and claimed I was trying to "twist" his words around-Yet, no matter what explanation was given, it was ultimately the pretense of decorating love as "an eye for an eye."

Lets investigate what love is, in healthy relationships:

 In love, you are enamored by the person you are with. It is quite understandable that no relationship is perfect. Though, isn't it our natural instinct to do nice things for someone when we are naturally attracted to them? Isn't your duty to be kind? 

I know if I like someone, I just want to be all those things for a person. And so, if I am all those things for a person, and it was mutual-isn't it natural that someone would express those things for me?

And  not because it is transactional, something you felt you HAVE to do-but because you want to?

Precisely.