By Loulwa El Hariri | Staff Writer

What is it that we call love? How can we be so sure, so certain, that our heart beats for a feeling that isn’t just a fleeting admiration, a momentary spark mistaken for something deeper? Whether it’s the rapid heartbeat or the sudden inability to catch a breath, both admiration and love have the same physical effect on us, but what differentiates the two? How can we tell if we’re truly in love with one’s soul?

There exists a very fine line between these two intensely felt sentiments. Admiration begins as a soft whisper, a subtle fluttering in the heart, a thrill that consumes all your inner thoughts when they enter the room, and you can’t bear to have a day pass by when you don’t encounter their presence. At first, you’re blinded by the ever-flowing feelings you have for that person; you’re unable to recognize the

flaws under the surface, seeing only beauty, and painting them in the colors of your greatest desires.

Admiration blooms in the field of mystery, thriving on one’s surface-level characteristics and turning a blind eye to their hidden qualities. It fixates only on the perfect and ideal side of a person, placing them on a pedestal that they can easily fall from when their unfiltered self is unmasked. Liking someone can often feel euphoric, flooding one’s heart with extreme senses of dopamine, and naturally, people will run towards this feeling, chasing it in a never-ending cycle of addiction and thrill. Eventually, we become consumed with this feeling, which leads us to believe that it’s actually love, for how can a feeling this powerful not be love? In truth, this feeling is only admiration, which is merely the initial fire ignited in one’s heart. But the fire slowly starts to disappear, and what possibly remains is a persisting flame. When someone chooses to stay for this flame is when true love starts to show its colors. Yet, most of the time, people still confuse the spark they feel for a deeper connection, mistaking simple admiration for genuine love. The question that lies here is: What is love actually represented by?

True love is born when the admiration phase ends and there’s no spark anymore. When the person starts unraveling their raw self, one can either choose to leave at this stage or stay through the darkness. Admiration demands perfection; it only sees one’s talents, physical beauty, and even their best qualities. But love? Love sees the flaws and the cracks, and yet still whispers, “I want to be with you, even in your worst form.” It flourishes in reality and isn’t sought in falsehoods. When one starts recognizing the hidden and dark parts of the other person, and even more accepting them, that’s when genuine devotion occurs.

When love comes along, so does vulnerability. The polished armor that was once shielding one’s imperfect and messy version is easily ripped off when they’re in love. It’s when you relentlessly place all the weaknesses you have and the wounds you carry in the palms of someone’s hands, hoping they’ll still stay. Many risks lurk around through the path of this vulnerability. Once you stand still, with your soul naked in front of someone and with absolutely no guard to protect you, there’s no going back. This type of exposure takes immense courage and trust; to show yourself raw and to believe that the one standing in front of you won’t use your weaknesses against you. And once someone sees you in your worst, they can either bring you up

or tear you down. But despite that, love still asks you to be vulnerable and take that risk.

Real love isn’t what’s showcased to us in fantasy movies or on social media; it’s not symbolized by cute Instagram pictures or fairytale couples. It doesn’t promise the happy ending that was sold to us in Disney’s movies. Instead, it guarantees purpose and meaning. It won’t shield you from pain – in fact, quite the opposite. It may reopen old wounds at any moment, yet it brings an unexplainable kind of joy, felt only in the heart. So, if you’re lucky enough to stumble upon this terrifying yet beautiful phenomenon that we call love, hold on to it, even when it hurts, because a life without love isn’t painless – it’s just meaningless.

Sources: https://exploringyourmind.com/admiration-love-difference/ https://www.regain.us/advice/love/how-is-infatuation-vs-love-important-for-your-future/