Far too many people believe that life owes them something, or that they are by their birth or by their circumstance, entitled to something, without having to put forth any attendant effort to legitimately own it. That really isn't the way that life works and it isn't the way that life operates. What is important to recognize is that each one of us has to, sooner or later, stand up and to be recognized for something, and that something needs to demonstrate love outside of that particular person's self; for each of us is called forth to the very same thing, which is to find something beyond ourselves, which necessitates sacrifice and that therefore is worth living for, and if it comes down to it, worth dying for.
In today's world, love has been discounted in a manner in which when it is now being expressed represents, oftentimes, something that is rather trite and blasé -- for words said, without understanding what true love really represents is a very cheap version of love; whereas that which is true to love, necessitates always a real commitment and then the necessary follow through to do what needs to be done, in order to do what is right on behalf of that love.
Unfortunately, many people are only too willing to express love one to another, when everything is going well, and especially when things are going their particular way; yet, they are far less reluctant to express that love or to ever consider that their love should somehow be unconditional, when things are most certainly not going their way, or as planned. That is to say, conditional love, basically means what it so implies, which is as long as that other person is doing what the lover of that person so desires, then they are loved; whereas, when they do not, that type of love may find itself morphing into something more in tune with negative emotions, such as rage, anger, betrayal, hatred, or revenge.
That said, there are plenty of people, that have examples in their life, of sacrificial love, without necessarily being conscious of it, such as parents that go to extraordinary lengths to do right and to thereby sacrifice their sleep, hobbies, interests and many other things In order to be there for their children; or a spouse that accepts the faults of their significant other, or looks pass such, because they care intimately about being together with that other person, for that connection that they have, is seen as a sacred vow, and therefore for better or for worse, they are there for them, come what may.
So then, when it comes to sacrifice and love, it doesn't necessarily have to be on the big stage, where a given person, for example, takes a bullet meant for someone else, though, of course, that qualifies; but rather it has more to do with those decisions made day-by-day where a given person's ego takes a backseat to what really needs to be done in order to help make things better for a friend, or for an acquaintance, or for a family member, or for a neighborhood, or for a community, or for a country, or for the world, in which that person doesn't have to do the right thing, but chooses though to voluntarily to do the right thing, as a willing sacrifice to the greater good. That then, is love.