Players only love you when they're playing

I love you.

Three simple enough words on their own. Not hard to say or spell. I do however find that it's meaning is something that confuses so many, at least those with romantic intentions. I believe, our misunderstanding about what it means to be "in love" is often times because we crave such a romantic and often times believed to be unobtainable emotion that we project it onto others the moment they stir deeper feelings within us.

When I've asked, most people have described being in love as a feeling of overwhelming attraction to someone else, or as considering another person to be uniquely desirable. We often imagine and are directed to think through various formats, that when two people are in love that they're constantly preoccupied with thoughts of each other. That they want nothing more than to be with each other every second of the day. It's hearts, and flowers, and sweet missives. Of course in this day and age it's also often thought to be steamy texts and nude selfies.

Those notions and feelings in truth don't describe love at all. They describe lust. Oh sweet desire filled lust. That initial physical attraction to another person. It makes us weak in the knees, and our brains turn to overdrive with the thoughts of what could be. Hormones and pheromones racing like thunder and lightening through our nerve endings, craving release. It's all encompassing and as powerful as any drug legal or otherwise, It's also equally dangerous.

Romantic love is a far deeper emotion. It grows and becomes something bigger than ourselves over time. It's life expectancy is dependant upon our willingness to nurture it. This isn't the case with lust. Lust will always be there, waiting in the shadows whispering the coulda, woulda, shoulda's. Each of course have their merits. I'm rather fond of lust. It's that tequila shot that makes me desire more. Love however, for me is the warmed cognac demanding proper attention, and to be savoured with the palate of a connoisseur.

Whatever it is you seek, I hope you find it. But let us be honest with our words and thoughts. Do not tell me you love me after having just met me. I won't believe you, but I will believe you to be a fool.