What Is the Difference Between Love and Infatuation?

By Ernest Mwaba

If you have gone through infatuation, then you also know the signs associated with it. Many people even say that infatuation is more painful than love when subjected to certain conditions. The signs that constitute real love and infatuation are very similar, and they are easily mixed up. How can you differentiate between love and infatuation?

Infatuation strikes like a fire
One unmistakable fact about infatuation is that it strikes like a blazing flame. The passion associated with it can cause you to start thinking about that person from time to time and wherever you are. Even with infatuation, the lovers are ready to go to certain unique depths just to keep the relationship. In most cases, people even end up getting married before coming out of that mindset. Infatuation is easily mistaken for love because when it strikes, it is very determined to challenge its barriers to its conclusive end.

Unmistakable differences between the two
The commonest reason that differentiates love from infatuation is the longevity. A person who is under infatuation has a time frame within which the blazing relationship can continue flourishing. But after that, displays of affection start diminishing until they finally disappear. In contrast, love normally has the following qualities:

• Stands the test of time and challenges: Real love lasts even after the passing on of one of the lovers. But infatuation is short lived
• Selfless, genuine and honest: True love does its best to look for the other person's interests. But infatuation focuses on personal benefits mainly.
• Mature and responsible: Love acts in a mature and responsible way remembering that the actions of today affect tomorrow. Infatuation does not care about tomorrow unless some selfish interest will be affected.
• Always Forgiving: True love and forgiveness and inseparable. Where there is true love, the partners are always forgiving and ready to look beyond mere differences in opinion. But infatuation seeks such opportunities.
• Caring and self-sacrificing: Where there is love, partners easily show tender care for one another. They are always ready to make sacrifices for each other.
• Does not discriminate in any way: It does not matter whether the lovers are coming from different races, languages, countries, regions or religious backgrounds, love always succeeds. But infatuation does not easily allow for such.

The sure way to test love
When there is true love, it is easy to see its fruits being exchanged between the lovers. In fact, many people say that true love is like pregnancy because it cannot be hidden. The lovers stick together in all seasons, and they are ready to stand by each other for life. That is why love is always patient. Therefore, patience is one of the measures you can use to verify whether your love is genuine or not. If there is infatuation involved, your lover will be in a hurry to get their selfish benefits out of the relationship and abandon you. It is also easy to know true love by focusing on the actions displayed by the lovers, and the motivating reasons behind such actions. In most cases, you will see selfishness in practice or a self-sacrificing spirit at work when you pay attention.
Ernest Mwaba has written many articles about relationships and marriages. If you want to get more about relationship issues and marriages, you can take time to read some of the most interesting articles by this author by visiting the link, http://relationshipissus.blogspot.com/ and your comments will be highly appreciated.