What Does It Feel Like To Be In Love?
How can this question be answered in a way that is universally understood?
What Does It Feel Like To Be In Love?
“What does it feel like to be in love,” a friend recently asked. I pondered the question for a moment and attempted to formulate a definition in my head, but to my dismay I was unable to provide a clear delineation to something so common and seemingly simple. How can one articulate such a deep-rooted emotion in a language which is universally understood? After a few moments of silence I realized that I could not answer this question in a clear and concise way. Love is the most powerful energy I’ve ever felt, and it simply cannot be described to someone who has not yet experienced it themselves. They will not understand.
The language of love is simple—if you’ve been in love, you know it. If you haven’t, then you question it.
There have been moments in my life where I convinced myself I was in love because it felt like I should be. By this, I mean that when you’re in a relationship for a particular length of time, there’s an expectation with both parties that you will fall in love with each other and run off into the sunset together. Books, movies and our own subconscious minds have been telling us this since the beginning of time, but the truth is that love is not a guarantee in any relationship and it simply cannot be forced. I went through a relationship telling myself that I was in love, but was confusing attachment for this beautiful and nearly indescribable feeling. I was never in love, rather needy and desperate for a partnership that would continue to disappoint until I finally decided to let it go.
It wasn’t until I fell in love that I saw what I had been missing all this time. Love is truly the simplest emotion I’ve ever felt, yet at the same time is understood by so few people. It means caring for someone so much that there is no stress or anxiety, no insecurity or attachment. Love means living for someone else. It’s simply wanting that person to succeed and be happy in every avenue of life, whether that means coming together in relationship or not. It means watching that person grow and reach their full potential and goals. And sometimes, it may mean letting them go.
When I encountered love, suddenly everything became so clear. I loved this person so much that all I wanted was for him to be happy and smile every day for the rest of his life. That’s it. In relationships there is always give and take and compromise, but in love…love is completely selfless and radiates like the sun’s rays; if you truly are in love, you will never need to ask another what it feels like--you’ll just know. And most importantly, you’ll know that it means wanting nothing in return.
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