Friday, November 20, 2009

Shades of Grey

What is the difference between love and infatuation? (For the record, I'm in neither, but I got to thinking about it while watching the news tonight profiling the hundreds of girls screaming their 'love' for Jacob/Edward).

The difference is time. And perception. And behaviour.

The dictionary says that infatuation is:

--> A foolish, unreasoning, or extravagant passion or attraction.
--> An object of extravagant, short-lived passion.

So it's short-lived. Foolish. Yet they also say : See Synonyms at love.

I think we all start at the stage of infatuation which then evolves into love, or goes away. They aren't different things. They are different stages of the same emotion, with love being further along the continuum. The same colour but different shades. Perhaps you reach it after you truly know the person, and know who you are with that person- and accept and still adore both.

And it's manifest in your behaviour.

The person who stalks a celebrity and fancies themselves in love with them really believes it. Is that any different than 'real love'? It's real to them right? But if you really love that someone you unselfishly consider their needs and wants as well as your own. Ideally those needs & wants align with yours...so you both win. The unselfish-ness demonstrates true love. While selfish, extravagant behaviour accompanies infatuation.

Maybe.

Heavy thoughts stemming from some screaming 'twi-hards'.

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