INFATUATION OR LOVE?

It has been a long time, but I have not forgotten those wonderful days of infatuation.  We called it a crush when I was in my teens.  If you look for the definition, you will find ~

A feeling of foolish or obsessively strong love for, admiration for, or interest in someone

OH--those were the days!  You just could not get enough of that special someone and the hormones were in overdrive. You would have an actual physical reaction to the one you were focused on.  Perhaps a rapid heartbeat, perhaps a rise in temperature, perhaps blushing, perhaps an all over tingling in their presence was experienced.  Whatever the case, you physically reacted when they were near.

This could lead to the beginning of realizing you were in love with that person.  Or, at any rate, you  thought you were in love.  This comes with time spent around the other and a definite attachment.  There could even be a physical attraction.  Today's world would have you believe that physical attraction comes first.  We will not go down this road any further.

I found this chart on line and it seems to give a fair comparison

 

In my mind, infatuation is more of a temporary state as shown in the chart.  Perhaps the real beginning of love is the point when you begin to experience hard times, struggles, trials, and those rough patches in life together.  THAT is the point you begin to grow your love ~ when you are no longer one, but two when you face the world and its struggles.   Without writing pages about the difference, infatuation begins its metamorphosis into love with time and experience together.  When you live life side by side--through thick and thin - good and bad the beautiful butterfly will emerge from the cocoon.  Love grows, if you nurture it and take care of it with each shared experience.  A deep abiding love--the kind of love God intends for us to have for one another.  The love He is the author and creator of.

"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly,

since love covers a multitude of sins."

I Peter 4:8