Discussion what does it mean to love?

[3spiral]

tell me how do you know when you love someone. no offense but I'm not looking for pessimistic answers saying that love is a lie or smth like that. I'm asking how would you describe personally your feelings of love towards another person and how can you tell when you love

I'm asking this because I've always been kind of unattached from people. some of my friends say they love me and I tell them back the same thing but I'm not sure if I feel this way

recently, and, of course these could simply be the symptoms of a little crush, I've been regularly talking with a girl and started feeling this kinda fuzzy feeling of really wanting to see her happy. I want to check on her, make sure she's doing okay every day. I want to remember her in the morning to know if she slept well. I want to be there for her if she needs to. I know I idealize her a lot too, these are feelings I've only felt on fantasies before so I wonder if they are even real or if I'm projecting something onto her. this makes me worried because I don't want to become an issue in her life. I have a lot of shifting feelings towards her too because I'm just unstable (I feel bad for her that she met me sometimes—). sometimes I feel weirded out by being close to another person and want to cut her off

anyways of course platonic love is different from romantic love which is different from a crush. but having these feelings made me realize I never felt so tender towards someone else before. in fact, until I was verbally advised not to I would directly tell my friends that I won't miss them when they are gone because it's natural for people to just come and go in life... I thought this was an alright thing to say. I was in my mid teens I know why this isn't okay now, even if I still feel this way sometimes. I definitely care about people, though. just in a different way and I also struggle to show it, or to even identify what I feel sometimes

so... what's your experiences with love?

edit: maybe I should've posted this in philosophy but.... the post has too much of my personal experiences so it's better here idk I didn't think of it before

 

[WaistedPotential]

I'm pretty rusty in this department, but I think your diagnosis as having a crush is accurate. I also sounds like you're developing a deep friendship with this person. These relationships are important for our wellbeing both mentally and physically. My friend always told me that love isn't just something you feel. It's all the things you do that make the other feel joyful, content, and safe.

 

[Pluto]

 

[FoxSauce]

Guess a person that loves you unconditionally despite your faults ans sticks with you no matter what. Like debt (jk)

Ok seriously just a person or loved one that believes in you more that you do yourself. Sticks with you throught thick and thin , the happy moments and the awful ones.

It could be platonic, siblings, romantic even in friendship . IMO these people are hard to find nowadays but there out there.

Does it sound sappy?

 

[3spiral]

Guess a person that loves you unconditionally despite your faults ans sticks with you no matter what. Like debt (jk)

Ok seriously just a person or loved one that believes in you more that you do yourself. Sticks with you throught thick and thin , the happy moments and the awful ones.

It could be platonic, siblings, romantic even in friendship . IMO these people are hard to find nowadays but there out there.

Does it sound sappy?

doesn't sound sappy at all! I like your description. makes me kinda realize I've never been supported in the ways I needed to throughout my life

 

[s_o_a]

I think the litmus paper for love is to ask yourself will you feel the same even if the other person does not share those feelings back? is your love unconditional? if yes, then I think you love her.

also i wish you all best :)