Love
Love is complex.
A mix of emotions, behaviors, and beliefs associated with strong feelings of affection, protectiveness, warmth, and respect for another person.
Love can also be used to apply to non-human animals, to principles, and to religious beliefs. For example, a person might say he or she loves his or her dog, loves freedom, or loves God.
What Is Love?
Love has been a favored topic of philosophers, poets, writers, and scientists for generations, and different people and groups have often fought about its definition.
While most people agree that love implies strong feelings of affection, there are many disagreements about its precise meaning, and one person’s “I love you” might mean something quite different than another’s.
Ready to speak to someone about love, relationships, and commitment issues? Click here to search for a therapist near you today.
Some possible definitions of love include:
- A willingness to prioritize another’s well-being or happiness above your own.
- Extreme feelings of attachment, affection, and need.
- Dramatic, sudden feelings of attraction and respect.
- A fleeting emotion of care, affection, and like.
- A choice to commit to helping, respecting, and caring for another, such as in marriage or when having a child.
- Some combination of the above emotions.
There has been much debate about whether love is a choice, is something that is permanent or fleeting, and whether the love between family members and spouses is biologically programmed or culturally indoctrinated. Love may vary from person to person and culture to culture. Each of the debates about love may be accurate in some time and someplace. For example, in some instances, love may be a choice while in others it may feel uncontrollable.
Love versus Lust
Especially in the early stages of a relationship, it can be difficult to tell the difference between love and lust. Both are associated with physical attraction and an intoxicating rush of feel-good chemicals, coupled with an often overwhelming desire to be closer to another person, but only one is long-lasting: love.
Love is something that is cultivated between two people and grows over time, through getting to know him or her and experiencing life’s many ups and downs together. It involves commitment, time, mutual trust, and acceptance.
Lust, on the other hand, has to do with the sex-driven sensations that draw people toward one another initially and is fueled primarily by the urge to procreate. Characterized by sex hormones and idealistic infatuation, lust blurs our ability to see a person for who he or she truly is, and consequently, it may or may not lead to a long-term relationship.
For instance, Lana is in a committed relationship with Steve and her sexual desire for him is waning. She loves and cares for him, but she finds herself feeling restless and dissatisfied with their physical relationship. When she meets Brendan, she experiences instant feelings of attraction and longing. The chemical messengers in her brain start sending signals to pursue this new man, even though she does not know anything about him other than how his presence makes her feel physically. Instead of working to improve intimacy with her current partner, she is overcome by lust for someone new.
The ideal intimate relationship scenario, some might say, involves a balanced combination of love and lust. After all, lusting after someone is typically an important early phase of a long-term partnership, and reigniting that initial spark is a practice worth cultivating for committed couples.
Love and Mental Health
Although almost no one can agree on a single definition of love, most people do agree that love plays a significant role in both physical and psychological well-being. Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of love. Love’s role in mental health is far-reaching, but some examples include:
- The fact that babies who are not shown love and affection in the form of frequent holding and cuddling may be developmentally delayed or ill.
- Feeling unloved is strongly correlated with feelings of low self-esteem and depression.
- People who both feel loved by others and who report loving other people tend to be happier.
- Love can play a role in long-term health, and feeling emotionally connected may help increase immunity.
References:
- Anonymous. (September 2, 2002). How to tell whether it’s love, like or lust. Jet 102.11, 12-14. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ez.trlib.info/docview/199970680/1833AF113A8E4DCAPQ/3?accountid=1229
- Prinz, J. J. (2007). The emotional construction of morals. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Wilson, G. D., & McLaughlin, C. (2001). The science of love. London: Fusion Press.
Last Updated: 08-1-2020
- 104 comments
- Leave a Comment
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emmanuel q.
January 1st, 2017 at 11:50 AMi have now realize the difference between love and lust
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چال روی گونه
March 7th, 2018 at 8:22 AMI love your believs
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چال روی لپ
July 20th, 2018 at 11:46 AMi think you like to be loved
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arwin c.
March 1st, 2019 at 6:55 AMLove also pay lust always receive
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Theodore
June 30th, 2019 at 8:24 PMWow! I have really learnt from this
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Brooke
April 10th, 2017 at 11:50 AMWhat is love? That’s an age old question we may never find a simple answer to. However, the effort you made in this post is incredible. I love your writing style, and you really gave some meaningful insight.
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Yogesh
April 30th, 2017 at 4:29 AMI agree with this post but i personally think that love is something that drives us and keep us on a the right path. If we are alone and have no love in our life we may not be as worried and thriving towards better life as we do when we are concerned about people we love and giving them a good and healthy life. Love is what comes from inside. Loved this post keep up good writing also if your are free i would like to see your review on my blog post on the same topic : dhananjayd-mysteryoflife.blogspot.in
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markjhan
March 21st, 2018 at 7:52 AMits better to be love than never
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Eden
July 21st, 2017 at 5:53 AMLove is what u do not what u say .it is a mutual attraction that binds two or more people together
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yogesh
May 11th, 2020 at 2:55 PMyes……
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Bright
July 24th, 2019 at 10:57 PMLove is love, if you can love you`ll be loved.
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jessica
August 14th, 2019 at 3:27 AMMe and my boyfriend
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sbadreck
May 16th, 2017 at 11:01 AMwow I like this
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Jo
May 27th, 2017 at 6:40 PMCan i get lana’s number
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dunno
August 29th, 2018 at 3:57 AMdid u get it ? askin fora friend
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Judy
June 4th, 2017 at 11:39 AMWow i really love this post
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Kailash
June 7th, 2017 at 4:57 AMit is good post.
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Nicetracy
June 16th, 2017 at 6:58 AMI Love All U Guys Post.,so Let Lov Lead Since We Knw D Meaning Nw..
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Anne
November 1st, 2019 at 10:56 PMI have a dilemma for you, this is a hypothetical story, OK.
I know someone who is caring, loving, honest, reliable and committed to whatever she does, more than anything she is likeable and staunchly protective of those close to her. She volunteers in her community and people like and respect her, OK so far, yes, good.
Now one day she gets a request for friendship of social media, who is a male just a little younger than her, normally she would dismiss this straight to the bin, but this time something makes her respond to this mystery male. Now this is completely out of character for her to do this, she is a woman that has been happily married for over 40years, why suddenly be tempted to stray from that. But she tells me as soon as he replied to her, she knew, knew what? I asked.
She said it was weird, she just felt an unusual rush of such intense emotions and the sense of familiarity, that she felt overwhelmed and shocked by her reaction. She had at this point not seen what he looked like, so she felt even more confused that these feelings were for some one sight unseen. She told me she knew it was destiny, and she felt she knew him before, and she said when they continued talking she felt she’d come home. What I find strange is the male concerned, felt the same about her. So tell me is it love or is it lust? -
Bindu
January 3rd, 2020 at 5:32 PMI am very honest when I love a person but over a time feel.. I really love and care but I don’t feel like I am loved….
Then I start thinking What is Love??
There I found and answer…. We are looking outside what we really are….. ” I AM LOVE”
and in Bible I found a word in 1 John 4-8 God is Love… If God is Love then what is Love… Love is God….
Then where is God? Within us
So where is Love within US..
We cannot find LOVE outside… Come to that awareness “I Am LOVE”..
So whatever comes from external with expectations… So we cannot explain its list od the flesh or lust of money.. Or something else….
Truth is “I AM LOVE” when we look it outside for it, we will lose our energy and time…
What we are in this earth part of a character.. I mean.. Same time we act as Father or mother, child, husband, colleague, Boss, according to our situation so we do live as an actor everyday… Playing the role of a husband or wife… Children or brother or sister, friend or colleague… So whatever we feel it’s all emotions… -
LANDALES
April 2nd, 2020 at 6:46 AMThere is truly nothing wrong in finding your soulmate/s via social media or otherwise. Looks don’t matter the soul knows who makes it complete. Your soulmate/s accept you completely and are happy wen you are happy (whether that means you’re married or with another soulmate).
Convention dictates there can only be one soulmate/kismet out there. But love is exponential
If there is more than one soulmate be truthful with all concerned and if they’re your soulmate they will accept the other in time and help strengthen everyone’s bond. -
OkoAustin
June 24th, 2017 at 10:45 PMdo love still exist? because I been trying to love but it seems that material things have taking love away from this new generation rather what we experience now is lust amoung our self. inshot I so much like this page thank you so much.
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Violet
June 26th, 2017 at 8:31 AMLOVE is impossible to define and different for everyone. That sits very well within me.
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Rahninho
July 4th, 2017 at 8:58 PMWell explained & now gat a primarily know of love is
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Jennifer
July 15th, 2017 at 7:28 AMlove is something u can never express,so strong nd emotional
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isaac
August 17th, 2017 at 12:12 PMI have learnt a new aspect of love.
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YUSUF
May 5th, 2020 at 11:47 PMHI MY DEAR FRIEND
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Sahar
November 29th, 2017 at 7:44 AMIm sahar and Im from Iran
This post its very intresting and I agree with this post -
saeid
March 31st, 2019 at 4:40 PMSAHAR!!! which city from IRAN?
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Ahmed T
December 25th, 2017 at 2:44 PMLove’s simply an excuse to get hurt.. By it’s sweetness. I love You all_
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biira
June 6th, 2018 at 8:39 AMlove is understandable
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vaibhav k.
January 31st, 2019 at 6:48 AMi love your way of explaining true love..
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rasheed
February 9th, 2019 at 1:42 AMlove is life
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nomfundo
April 3rd, 2019 at 9:23 PMTo me only blibical and love from homes makes sense because from then you’ll be able to pass it on
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Laura
May 2nd, 2019 at 9:45 AMI agree to me love is family, people I know, people I trust, people who look after me and just the people around me that care for me!
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Prince
May 15th, 2019 at 12:44 AMI agree with this post but i personally think that love is something that drives us and keep us on a the right path. If we are alone and have no love in our life we may not be as worried and thriving towards better life as we do when we are concerned about people we love and giving them a good and healthy life. Love is what comes from inside. Loved this post keep up good writing.
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Brix
June 16th, 2019 at 3:27 PMThe true meaning of love is when God gave his only son for the forgives of all our sin. He is a God that dresses himself to become a human so that He will feel what we have have felt from this earthly thing. Now he sit at the right of His father all He ask is to forgive all those people who had sin with us. Forgive so that we can meet the true love. Forgive your self before you gave forgiveness to others.
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sophist
June 25th, 2019 at 12:17 AMLove is what u do not what u say. It is a mutual attraction that unites two people together. There is a major difference between love and lust. Nowadays people are considering love on the basis of attractive looks, money, bank balance. If Love marriages are based on these criteria than people bind themselves officially for lust and when it’s over they separate.
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Winter
July 2nd, 2019 at 11:07 AMLove is the deepest part of life, no one can reach its end. It’s the subject of the life we live.
Love is like light formed out of darkness brighten everything in every little opportunity. -
Rahul
July 5th, 2019 at 4:15 AMlove is …………
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Pronamika
July 5th, 2019 at 6:36 AMI am interested in your topics
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Wil
August 5th, 2019 at 1:36 AMThat’s a slight bit confusing.
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Wil
August 5th, 2019 at 1:43 AMLife is a game and love is the prize
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angel
August 7th, 2019 at 4:22 AMthis is one of the best definition about love
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VARUN
September 2nd, 2019 at 12:30 PMAwesome Article.
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muhammad u.
September 8th, 2019 at 11:13 AMIt is true but love have a large pain for follower. and i am in thin pain.
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mule
September 8th, 2019 at 12:03 PMLove is to adjust your principles and become vulnerable.
Love is to love no matter whether the idiot loves you back
Love is a process of losing ur brians to emotions. -
Krishnendu D
September 15th, 2019 at 11:51 AMThis article is very nice… good explain what is love? Good website
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Geaniece M
September 23rd, 2019 at 1:27 AMNow I know what love really is.
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Jarvis
October 13th, 2019 at 2:15 PMThe difference between love and lust.. hmmm wow interesting I just hope I get help cause I really need to stop lusting over people
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Pop
May 14th, 2020 at 4:39 PMI didnt know that artifical intelligence could lust
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Kf
November 14th, 2019 at 1:16 AMLove is about how much you can sacrifice for others. Can you sacrifice your favourite tv show to accompany your partner to go shopping etc? If someone can sacrifice their life for their loved ones, that is ultimate true love.
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Soubhagya Behera
December 12th, 2019 at 2:39 AMIt is helpful.
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ajay
December 16th, 2019 at 8:14 AMNice Article. I really like this.
You may like this. -
Rohan
December 18th, 2019 at 7:32 AMIt’s just a chemical reaction that compels animals to procreate from science point of view just like the article I mentioned states but well, people can define their own meaning of love
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Tesfaye
December 30th, 2019 at 12:33 AMwhat is love?
it is an inprofed ! it imposebel to give defination! -
mery
January 16th, 2020 at 12:35 PMLove is the deepest part of life, no one can reach its end. It’s the subject of the life we live.
Love is like light formed out of darkness brighten everything in every little opportunity.
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https://modto.ir/
February 5th, 2020 at 4:49 AMYou always gain by
Giving love. -
rocky
February 5th, 2020 at 7:30 PMThanks sir share this information. I really helpful this article. I read full content. Thanks you so much..
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Alicia
February 17th, 2020 at 8:58 PMI believe that love is a choice. I am currently going through a divorce. I was recently questioned about whether or not I really ever loved my husband. After giving the question some thought, I came to the conclusion that love is a choice. It begins as lust, as you said, and grows through mutual respect and trust. As long as my husband was good to me, and I him, it was an easy choice. But as years went by, my husband became abusive. First, he lost my trust, then my respect, and at the end, I stopped making the choice to love him and I left. I don’t think this means that I never loved him, I did, and I do still care about him in the sense that I wish no harm on him. I think there are a lot of preconceived notions that begin at a young age that are cultivated from fairy tales that love IS a fairy tale.
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sandip
March 1st, 2020 at 1:41 AMLove is loss of life..
Love is not anything without loss.. -
Paige
March 27th, 2020 at 10:00 PMThere is this boy, he recently broke up with his girlfriend (3 months ago) and he told me he just wanted time, and I respect that. But one day he took me on a date and he kissed me. So naturally I went home and asked if we were dating and he said no. I just want to know if that kiss actually meant something to him or if I was just something for him to do.
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puspa
April 7th, 2020 at 3:37 AMNice I am really clear about love and lust.
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CHRISTIANA
April 10th, 2020 at 6:18 AMI love this post
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Swarsattie
April 17th, 2020 at 6:53 AM“Love and Love in an ideal intimate relationship scenario is a balanced combination?” All in one. Thank you for sharing this article with the world including me. I learned some deep meaningful insight of what love is and how to I identify the difference between love and lust. I read all the others comments and I learned plenty too. Thank you guys so much! I needed this.
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Rambido
April 26th, 2020 at 6:41 AMLove is long suffering (more than patience), it is kind, love does not envy, love does not boast, nor puffed up with pride, does not act unseemly, has no self interest (an important test!), is not provoked, does not impute harm. Love DOES rejoice with the truth, bears all, believes all, hopes all, endures all. Love never fails. Love is a decision we make, not something we fall into or out of.
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Muhindo A. M.
May 8th, 2020 at 3:08 AMAaron
I have learnt that there is true love and false love and in any case true love is better because it heals and the opposite is vice- versa. And besides good therapy is the best because it covers all other types of love since it works on the premise of the well-being of humans and other creation in the universe. -
Mobie
May 19th, 2020 at 10:25 AMit’s great.
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Bethuel
June 18th, 2020 at 12:00 PMAwesome believe
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Shubha T
June 23rd, 2020 at 11:09 AMExcellent article..explains so beautifully🙂
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Emmanuel
June 28th, 2020 at 10:48 AMLove shares
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Gift
June 29th, 2020 at 8:32 PMLove is a feeling.
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thuonghlv
August 1st, 2020 at 12:08 AMI find it so amazing! Thanks for sharing this post!
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Gabriella
August 11th, 2020 at 7:44 PMThanks for sharing this great post!
Expressing your love is important not just because it helps you become a better person, but also because it allows you to establish strong and honest relationships with other people. -
Samuel
August 15th, 2020 at 6:54 PMNice Article Keep It Up
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Ibrahim
August 21st, 2020 at 12:33 AMYes, I agree with wath u say but love is blind and nobody can say he or her can’t fill it.
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Xfhhhj
August 21st, 2020 at 2:54 PMFor me love in relationship is with wjom you want to share everything …who understands you eithout ypur words..in whom you found a shekter…whom you really need in your life…like if he is not in your life your sorrows or your happinesses canf get its true values you think…match of souls..whewre your all emotions mathches…like all expectation matches…his smilecmakes you smile …with the same reason you both act same to each other…who you really need in your life intemately…without hiim you may be have all good things but thete is no true value
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Steven
August 29th, 2020 at 7:04 AMLove is that witch makes us want to be alive.
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Lami
September 16th, 2020 at 6:26 PMLove is the best feeling on Earth if d world come back to love everything will be fine on Earth I believe and God will consider d world
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Peter
September 17th, 2020 at 7:22 AMThanks for the blog filled with so many information. Stopping by your blog helped me to get what I was looking for.
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Jim
September 27th, 2020 at 7:46 AMLove was real easy to find in the old days, and now most women unfortunately have their very high unrealistic expectations and standards.
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Queenbaby
October 21st, 2020 at 1:06 PMPls is love still existing
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Ezeudu
October 24th, 2020 at 10:08 AMThat’s cool 😎
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jacks23
November 18th, 2020 at 9:59 AMVery informative post! There is a lot of information here that can help any business get started with a successful social networking campaign. cable Mesh manufacturers in Pakistan
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levisking
December 3rd, 2020 at 4:09 PMA very excellent blog post. I am thankful for your blog post. I have found a lot of approaches after visiting your post.
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ACHU
December 11th, 2020 at 9:18 PMlove has many pains,but celebacy offers no pleasure…
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Anonymous
March 20th, 2021 at 4:30 AMHmmm 😊 you said lust is about sexual desire and love is like an affection right? 🤔
Then, when u have affection for someone together with sexual feelings is what? 🤷😏😕 -
open pdf
March 27th, 2021 at 9:35 PMYes i am totally agreed with this article and i just want say that this article is very nice and very informative article.I will make sure to be reading your blog more. You made a good point but I can’t help but wonder, what about the other side? !!!!!!Thanks
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Victoria
April 2nd, 2021 at 9:54 PMVery informative, very well-kept posting such informative topics.
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Nishit
April 7th, 2021 at 3:45 AMThanks for sharing such helpful information with us. I hope you share more info about love and relationships . Please keep sharing
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Joy
April 8th, 2021 at 9:12 AMLove this post
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satvatholistics
May 20th, 2021 at 5:13 AMNice article , thanks for sharing
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Moses
June 12th, 2021 at 9:05 AMwow ! this is so nice…atleast i’ve learnt in these..
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The common commoner
July 3rd, 2021 at 4:42 AMSo beautifully written 😊😊😊
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urdu news
July 3rd, 2021 at 12:08 PMIrresistible! Thank you so much for this kind and good service.your services is better than better.
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Mudasheer
July 17th, 2021 at 6:05 AMI’ve learnt alot from this details
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Mudasheer
July 17th, 2021 at 6:12 AMI’ve learnt alot from your website keep it up am in your side add me to your company if necessary
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Oseni
July 23rd, 2021 at 7:23 AMyes na
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Lee
September 16th, 2021 at 10:38 PMlove is a very beautiful thing. true love changes your life. and this blog is very informative to under what is love? how to treat with this. but sometimes we fall in love with someone but we don’t have to tell him.
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Rachel
October 19th, 2021 at 9:20 AMI like what someone said about love being internal. Not materialistic like external things… I also do believe that true love can and will show its face through doing…actions… words are just words. Im combination with actions you can show someone you love them in many ways. But my question is, is DOING & ACTIONS truly internal or external?? I feel like actions fall under both. And love is all about what you DO. (AGAIN, NOT WHAT YOU SAY. TALK IS CHEAP. A GRAND GESTURE AND WHAT YOU PHYSICALLY DO, HOW YOU TREAT SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS THROUGH ACTIONS. YOU DONT TREAT SOMEONE THROUGH WORDS!)
I think its fair to claim actions DO speak louder than words. And what is it that makes you want to DO for the one you love? Where doesn’t action or reaction come from…? It comes from inside, all that love in there that is telling you what to do! The intentions to act come from a sole internal force. -
Jacob
October 25th, 2021 at 1:30 AMAmazing Post thanks for sharing.
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مشاوره خانواده
February 3rd, 2022 at 2:44 AMReally helpfull post to fall in love
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Steve
March 29th, 2022 at 10:02 AMThere has been much debate about whether love is a choice, is something that is permanent or fleeting, and whether the love between family members and spouses is biologically programmed or culturally indoctrinated. Love may vary from person to person and culture to culture. Each of the debates about love may be accurate in some time and someplace. For example, in some instances, love may be a choice while in others it may feel uncontrollable..
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Ismail
May 2nd, 2022 at 6:49 AMIts very informative information. Its realy helpful for everyone.Thanks Admin to share with us this type information.
I know a website that also provide psychologist definition- Concept Psychology Definition
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