Loving someone is more than just getting butterflies every time you think about them. It’s more than the bubbly anticipation that you get when you know they’re coming towards you smiling.
Love is when you want to be with someone no matter how much you fight, or have little disagreements.
Love is the feeling of caring for them no matter what, and it’s not just the fact that you need them…It’s more of a fact that you can’t stand not being around them. When you are growing up, you’ll probably think you’re in love at least a couple of times before you really are.
So how can you tell the difference between the real thing and infatuation? The thing that tells you the most is how you handle fights with the person. If you haven’t even fought, you’re probably not in love, because you’re still too starry-eyed and dazed by the bite of the love bug to get upset at them. When you do fight, is it your first impulse to leave, to just quit the relationship? That’s infatuation. If the only thing you can think about is how you’re going to sort it all out and make things work with them, you’re more than likely in love with that person. Love doesn’t turn tail and run at the first sign of trouble, do you?
Also, another way you can tell is if you truly have that person’s best interest at heart. Sure, you care about people you have a crush on-but it’s different. Try to think of the types of things your parents, or maybe your grandparents, do for each other. It’s probably almost an automatic reaction for them to worry whether the other has eaten, is warm or cold enough, is feeling ok, is comfortable, and happy. Are these the type of things you want for your boyfriend/girlfriend? If you’re thinking more about their well being than your own, it’s probably love. Love is unselfish and undying.
Infatuation often causes people to spend a lot of time trying to impress the other person. Worrying about how you look, what you say, and how you act every time you’re around this person is something that fades away when you’re in love. Do you wonder why? Well it’s because you’re comfortable with this person, you know it doesn’t matter how you look to them, and you can be yourself around them. Last, you can usually tell you’re in love when other crushes no longer matter. Granted, it is human instinct to keep looking, but you no longer want to touch.
You’ll know it’s love when you lose interest in going out with other people, when your thoughts center mainly on that one special person and when no one else’s comment s can turn your head in their direction. Love is faithful. Everyone always says that when you fall in love, you’ll know instinctively and in your heart. It’s true.
By: Jessica Legg
Note: I did not write this. I found this article in the school newspaper in middle school. I cut this article out and it has been on my wall for years! I thought it was interesting to read and thought I’d share it with you all :)