愛 or 爱

This is really interesting study into the meaning behind the changes in chinese character.
For the new character and the old style is only missing a heart character. main point is to make it easier to write but people have assign deeper meaning to this change.

海誓山盟何足凭,爱到无心见真心

love without heart, (in this case heart refers to self) means selfless love. so if one love until forgets about self and only think of others it is true love.

While the explaination for the character in old style is more interesting. It is symbolically means to capture one's friend hidden heart. to do this one must first open own heart. only heart can capture heart. just as only love and repay love's debt. It seems being happy (open heart) together in chinese is path towards love. =)

在上古，“朋”和“友”是有区别的： 　　
“同门曰朋”，即师从同一个老师的人称为“朋”； 　　
“同志曰友”，即志同道合之人称为“友”。 　　

综上所述，“爱”的字义就是要抓住“朋友”的“心”！ 　　

然而，这个“朋友”的“心”是被“冖”所“覆盖”和“掩饰”了的，而要真正做到能够抓住这个“朋友”的“心”，就要让这个“朋友”对你不要“覆盖”和“掩饰”其心，让这个“朋友”对你“敞开心扉”！ 　　而要让这个“朋友”对你“敞开心扉”，你就必须“以心交心”。 而“以心交心”首先你自己就必须向你的朋友“敞开心扉”，让这个朋友对你有完完全全的了解。让他（她）了解你对他（她）的“情”，让他（她）了解你对他（她）的“关怀”、“关心”、“体贴”。要做到这一点，你就必须“细心”、“无微不至”、“细致入微”， 你就必须“倾心投入”、“倾情付出”！ 　　

这些，就是“爱”的实质内涵之意义！

Quote from http://baike.baidu.com/view/3516.htm