Love Between Adult Children & Parents, Between Friends, Between Lovers

[Mitch]

I've been recently contemplating relationships and how love is expressed between people. While I think love is something different for many people, I am curious how different people display love in different situations.

Mostly this curiosity stems from my subjective lack of love that I feel for others. I care about others in varying capacities but I wouldn't classify these feelings as love. The relationship between my parents and I is alright, though I feel awkward or inauthentic saying "I love you" to them when I get off of the phone with them. I care a lot about my girlfriend and want the best for her, though I didn't feel authentic saying "I love you" to her and eventually had to tell her that it didn't feel authentic for me. My best friend is extremely open and while he isn't very interested in growing, he is quite supportive of my motivations. This is where I feel the most profound bond between another person and I feel our sort of love is deeply rooted in compassion.

Overall, I have searched online a lot and was only able to find things about love that seemed cliché and surface level. I confess I have no idea what love really is and how it manifests in different situations. The question I ask myself is "Do I love others and yet I don't know that what I am feeling is love or is love something different that I really haven't experienced?"

I welcome anyone to leave their ideas about love here.

Thanks,

Mitch 

[MIARIVEL]

@Mitch First and foremost if you have to question if you love others, most likely you don't. Love isn't a word people should throw around easily and to anyone; however everyones perception of love can be different and who is to who is right or wrong. It is simply how you see love and weather you are comfortable with the word and the meaning behind it. 

There are different types of love, love between parents and children is unconditional (think of it this way, if your parents died tomorrow would you regret not telling them you love them). The love between intimate partners is different to the love you have for your friends. I believe when someone elses happiness means more to you than your own then its love. That is not to say you forget about what your wants and needs are and constantly please other people - not at all. It is simply being okay with putting other people first and helping them grow. Love in intimate relationships isn't shared with everyone because it usually two people in a relationship. The love between friends can be unconditional depending if you pick your friends wisely and how you would define the term friend. Some people have people they know for the sake of not being lonley - this is not a friend, others like me have friends who help me grow, want the best for me, make me laugh, we always just have the best fun together and I know that there is nothing I wouldn't do for them because they would do the same for me and I love them because of this. 

Love shouldn't ever be a question - but your perceptions on love is your reality. If you feel nothing towards the word then maybe you just havent experienced love as you perceive it, but that doesn't mean you won't ever. You may end up telling your girlfriend you love her and mean it because you know with all your heart, you can't picture your life without her.