malana

Strong love when talking about another person, is for me, having an immense admiration, respect, like, and need for them. It does go beyond being "in love", because it has such depth and an infinite nature. I have a strong love for my mother, I enjoy our conversations, I value her opinion, her thoughts, her dreams, her hopes, and likewise. I have a need for her to be happy, healthy and feel loved/needed/valued.

I have had a strong love for other people / friends, again that is about just such an appreciation for their existance, for having found them, and that they are in my life. Again mutual respect, true kindness, caring, and being generous with their time and help. I only have about 2 people that I can put in this category, because they continue to amaze me with their thoughtfulness, advice, ability to make me laugh and listen to me when I ramble on.

Of course the word "love" is used so often to describe many things, I do love life, and the simple things, photography, creativity, passion, standing up for oneself, design, corsets, being silly, laughing, reading a great book, fashion, dressing up, seeing a movie that makes me think, having a wonderful conversation, dancing by myself, of course I love my chihuahua.....there are so many degrees of love, from a feeling of a strong like to an absolute desire, or even a need for it.

I believe I have been "in love" in that you just fall so deeply, madly, beyond all reason with that person. Initially it is more about fascination, and curiousity, lust, and just needing to be around them. Be it in silence, or getting all giddy about all the things you seem to have in common, wanting to know all about their life, their experiences, opinions, thoughts, dreams, hopes and i think you become a bit blinded to the rest of the world. I agree with Sai that it is a state, more than an emotion, even thoug your emotions are all over the place. and you feel invincible.Well, I do anyway.

How long this last depends on each person. I was in love with her, we were best friends, and I just had such respect for her creativity and she made me laugh, she made me feel so good, and I apparently made her feel the same way. Unfortunately it didn't work out how she wanted it to, and sadly after a year of trying to just be friends, we now only talk maybe once a year. I miss her. People that touch your soul like that are so rare, and I miss that connection.

I was in love with him, and had a serious crush on him for at least 5 years or sowe had been friends through out that time, long conversations into the early hours of the morning, i guess the "in love" part lasted for about 10 months, we were together for 4 and a half years.

I broke up with him. I still love him very much and always will, he showed me that there was no need to be scared of anything, he encouraged me to follow my dreams and believed in me. he is very creative, a musician and very intelligent, loved reading his poetry, listening to him play at gigs, catching him when he was looking at me with those beautiful blue eyes.

He taught me about history, literature, about being free and was always so proud of me. we are still close friends, and he always is there for me, no matter what, he is my strong love, i miss his company as he has moved away, but we still talk on the phone alot.

He is a best friend, and yes I still lust after him, but as a couple we didn't work.

Being "in love" is one of the most beautiful, crazy, unexplainable feelings in the world. But alas it is fleeting, true love has no limits, and is unconditional. For instance when i am 80 and sitting on the veranda with my friend Tabitha, being 2 eccentric old ladies and reminiscing, surrounded by 100 animals and drinking tea. Or with that person that is my soulmate, male or female, no sex, just enjoying their companionship. arguing, laughing, whatever, the person I can just be me around. and everything feels so right and comfortable.

Ok, so now I am rambling, but what someone looks like doesn't matter to me, their mind, their creativity, and their passion is what makes me start loving them....

Take care,
x