What does it mean to be in love?

[Lilmisus]

For the past couple of months, a couple of friends and I have been talking about relationships, breakups, and whatnot, and the question has rose up quite a few times of what it means to be in love with someone. My two close friends have been in relationships for four and five years, and they both say that they love their boyfriends and always will, but they're not sure if they're in love with them, since neither of them are happy and neither wants to be in their relationships anymore. For one of them (four years together), the spark is gone; and for the other (five and a half years together), they fight more than anything, and are constantly breaking up, and it's obvious that she shouldn't be in her relationship anymore.

 

I have no doubt in my mind that I was (and still am) in love with my ex, but regardless of that fact, when she asked me yesterday what it meant to be in love with someone, I couldn't find the words, and simply told her that I was probably a bad example.

 

So, I would love to hear what any of y'all would say it means to be in love with someone. Especially, since I could maybe use what some of you say when talking to my friends about it when the topic arises again (trust me, it will).

[Professor X]

No one can tell you you are in love, you just know it, through and through.

 

Same goes as for telling you what it means, you just feel and know it.

[Jazzari]

To me, love is when thier happiness is just as important (or more) than your own.

[Cee]

I'm in love and I don't think I can describe it. I feel emotionally, intellectually, and sexually connected to him. He walks in a room and I can't take my eyes off of him. And there is nothing better than being in his presence.

 

Last night, we had a long talk about love. I told him that I think people can stay in love for a long time as long as they delve deeper into intimacy. I think discovering new things about a person and having new mutual experiences keeps the in love feeling going.