Whats the difference between "love" and being "in love"?

Love is a choice. It is completely selfless. Being "in love", on the other hand is usually pretty much the opposite. It's all about ME and how I feel, etc. Check out what the Bible says the definition of love is and think about how that compares to feeling like you are "in love". Two totally different things.

"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is a feeling and an emotion that you feel for another person. Being in love is both partners having the same feeling at the same time. You can love ice cream but since it can not love you back you can't be in love with it. It also carries with it a stigma of permanence and commitment. Again, this is just what I think, and everyone's opinion is just as valid as mine. You can take it down to the simple bottom line and go with a dictionary definition but love is more of a "what would you do for the other person" sort of thing. To your friend the love of money and materials is more important then the love of anothers soul or intentions. That doesn't mean she is any more wrong/right then you are. Love means different things to different people. One thing about loving physical things is that she will continue to be looking for more while a person selecting the right person will look for a standard they have set for the relationship. Being that people are involved, selecting incorrectly will make one search for more too. That is what leads to divorce or straying at the very least. Good luck.

I don't think it's at all easy to describe love, people can confuse love with habit over a certain period of time, not being able to picture life without them whether the relationship is good or bad. Being in love has nothing to do with the initial attraction either, I think everyone no matter how un-shallow you think you are will always judge a book by it's cover and match for suitability.

I think there can be love at first sight in the way that your initial judgments are exactly how you personally perceive love.

Id personally say Im in love with my Girlfriend. We've been together 2 years and i've been friends with her for 3, we've had a lot of ups and downs mainly down to trust and honesty issues. I believe however any relationship is forged, loving someone means giving all of yourself and being comfortable exposing all your flaws with your other half.

'loving' someone I think is very different to being 'in love' in my opinion, I could be wrong but I'd say to be in love would imply you both feel the same, you're a couple. Love in it's single would be a single persons feeling.

Well that's what I think :S

great question madhavi:) yOU know though these words sound synonimous but still there lies a "deep" difference !! Happiness can be found of things which may not even be beneficial to our spiritual or psychological aspect like we may go out & have our favourite dish & clothes etc., we would feel happy. But satisfaction comes from a kind of achievent, if we get good grades in studies we would get a positive feeling that says "hard word paid off" now thats more beneficial isn't it ;p[ Now peace.... I think it depends on what attitude we adopt towads the "activities" we do for "happiness" or either "satisfaction", peace actually exist in our self, it just has to be found by us. A person of ignorance might feel peace while a hard worker could be strresed. It can be even oposite to that . So peace needs to found by us.

You can love anyone. You can love a co-worker, a friend or family member. To me that means you care very much and they are on a high level of importance to you. You would probably go out of your way for this person and do extra special things for/with this person.

To be "in love" to me is unconditional towards this person. I belive the only people you should be in love with is your immediate family and your spouse. This means you would do anything for this person.. even if every the situation was to come up... give your life.

Ask yourself.... would you jump infront of a bullet or speeding car to save this persons life???

If the answer is yes.. then you are in love with this person...

If the answer is no... then you may love or just like this person a lot

Honestly, there are only 6 people on this earth I am in love with. And 1 beyond this world.

1. God

2. Daughter

3. Dad

4.Mom

5. Fiance

6. Sister

7. Other sister.

That's it! All other person, I love my other family members.. but I don't see my self risking my life for them.

Simple love is just a strong feeling of caring about someone. Being "In Love" is fantastic and totally different has only happened to me once. I think its a once in a life time kind of thing. Its when you give your whole heart to someone your whole self and you get it in return also. You can't be in love with someone unless that other person is feeling the same strong feelings as you are.

The answer to your question is very easy:

Anyone can love anyone and exchange "I Love Yous". That is love.

"Being in Love" is when two people have one romantic love -- for each other and only each other.

EDIT: to your additional comment: Yes, we are saying that to be "in love" the feelings and the commitment level between the two individuals is very strong and felt whole heartedly. Love cannot be measured and the level of love one has is unique to each individual. But the respect and devotion and commitment you have speaks volumes.

"To love is; to cherish, to be kind to, to want to spend time with, to respect, to enjoy, to trust, to want to know better. This list is too lengthy and I am sure you can add many of your own characteristics or qualities.

And then there is to be in love; to be smitten, infatuated, enamored, hooked, taken with, besotted, head over heels."

for instance after a relationship ends you can still love or have feelings for your ex, but you are no longer in love with them. the difference comes when hardship and trials arise in the relationship. When you love someone you will give freely of yourself without expecting, support them, do almost anything to make them happy. You will want to share their burdens and you will be ever forgiving. And when you are in love you may not always love the person deeply and give of yourself to them without expecting. As a matter of fact most people in love expect to be loved in return. When you love you do it without thinking it is instinctual. Like something innate you don't even think about doing. For instance I love my family and will give them anything they ask if I have it and I will do anything for my best friends. But I don't think about them all the time, or feel romantic feelings towards them because I am not in love with them.

Hope this helps

in order for some one to be in love you must love your self and if you don't you already made an mistake and the difference is that in love is just like lust it never last long and and its easy to lose and we you love someone your feelings never change and you can always count on that person though thick and thin

the difference is

you can love a girl friend

its just like saying i love you mom !!!

your not in love with your mom

now when your in love with someone

something inside you just feels different

like how do you know you like a boy more than a friend

and when you fall in love with them you;ll know it

because you always want to be with them

and there the only person that you want to spend your

life with

and when they touch you your whole body shivers

its really a great feeling