(no subject)
What is the difference between "love" and "in love"?
I've never really known, and now that I identify as aromantic, I feel even further from knowing. I've never believed that romantic attraction must include sexual attraction or that romantic feelings cannot be part of just a friendship, but I used to think that I would be "in love" with my spouse and just "love" my favourites and friends. Now, I'm wondering whether I've been in love all these years and just never known it. Because of the existence of romantic friendships, I'm beginning to believe that one can be "in love" with one's friends as well, and for an aromantic like me, well. I doubt I'll ever be "in love" with someone romantically, but what I feel, now, I can't imagine ever feeling anything greater than this. It's love that blooms in my chest, that makes me smile whenever I think of these people, that's made me really, truly happy, happier than I've ever been in my life, and I'm wondering how this can be any different from what I would have felt for a potential spouse, especially because I just don't have a sex drive.
So, flist, what would you say is the difference between "love" and "in love"? I'm not sure it even really matters because words can't ever really fully describe many things about humans, but I'm curious.
I've never really known, and now that I identify as aromantic, I feel even further from knowing. I've never believed that romantic attraction must include sexual attraction or that romantic feelings cannot be part of just a friendship, but I used to think that I would be "in love" with my spouse and just "love" my favourites and friends. Now, I'm wondering whether I've been in love all these years and just never known it. Because of the existence of romantic friendships, I'm beginning to believe that one can be "in love" with one's friends as well, and for an aromantic like me, well. I doubt I'll ever be "in love" with someone romantically, but what I feel, now, I can't imagine ever feeling anything greater than this. It's love that blooms in my chest, that makes me smile whenever I think of these people, that's made me really, truly happy, happier than I've ever been in my life, and I'm wondering how this can be any different from what I would have felt for a potential spouse, especially because I just don't have a sex drive.
So, flist, what would you say is the difference between "love" and "in love"? I'm not sure it even really matters because words can't ever really fully describe many things about humans, but I'm curious.