i have felt at times in my life that i was, or am, in love with certain people in my life. the feelings i had for these people could almost bring me to tears, but the feeling never seemed to be reciprocated. is the feeling i have for these people really love or just a deep infatuation? can love exist for a person if the other does not feel the same way?
2006-07-20 14:06:21 · 8 answers · asked by kentuckygrown 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
There are different kinds of love. The highest form is called "agape" and it means a compassionate love that flows from the lover to the loved whether or not it is reciprocated. It is an active love that seeks the other's good.
Then there is the love of friendship. You can keep up your end of that even if the other person doesn't, but it's not true friendship, because that is a reciprocal feeling.
Feelings of romantic love that are not reciprocated are closer to infatuation, because you do not have the reciprocal friendship, nor do you have the relationship where you have the opportunity to work for the other's good.
But you can keep your heart open and ready to respond with positive good towards them when and if the time comes when you have a chance.
When we kind of moon about over our feelings and loss, that tends to be infatuation.
2006-07-20 17:47:48 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋
Of course you can. take babies for example. A newborn doesn't even understand the concept of love but as a mother I can tell you, I loved him deeply from the second he was born. I would of died for him in an instance and still would.. The fact that my son wasn't able to reciprocate love didn't change how deeply I loved him. I know you are talking about a different kind of love, but the same rules apply. Maybe the reason your feelings aren't being reciprocated is because you haven't loved the right person yet. Someday you will find someone who thinks you are the moon and the stars and everything in between! Good luck to you!
2006-07-20 14:13:30 · answer #2 · answered by mattsmom 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I truly believe it depends on the person. If you are capable of loving deeply then one day you will find someone who can return the favor. But many people, especially in a fast-paced and rather unemotional world don't want to put the effort in anymore. Marriage is an item on a checklist. Same with people loving anything. People don't love their spouse enough just as they don't love their pets, job, or kids enough. Being a loving person is a trait that takes much effort and work. Many people just don't put in the effort so they never find someone capable of reciprocating love. "Been There" - love is a chemical reaction just like happiness, memories, learning, etc. What is the point of that non-statement? Does a chemical reaction have to be inhumane to the scientifically illiterate layman? I always wonder.
2016-03-16 02:33:03 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe so. Say you love your home, and it gets burnt to the ground, you'd cry as though someone you loved was killed. So I'd say that if you can love your house that way, then you can love someone without them loving you back. I think that there is too much pressure on love. Love is just love. You can find it everywhere, not just when 2 people see each other for the first time and the stars light up. It's just another one of those funny human things that people try to explain, but really can't.
2006-07-20 14:14:24 · answer #4 · answered by jadevandersee 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's a tricky question. Romantic love, both people should feel the same love in order for have true love. Then again love of a family member, like the love of parents for their children, should be able to exist even if the other doesn't feel the same.
2006-07-20 14:18:21 · answer #5 · answered by mangachocobo 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The problem is with the english language. There are so many different components of love that this one word can not begin to encompass them all. The answer is yes in some circumstances and no in others. Try to define the feeling in other words, "infatuation" is not one of them.
2006-07-20 15:48:12 · answer #6 · answered by TruthIsRelative 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to Carl Jung, love is a projection of one's self onto another person. (more specifically, one's shadow, but I won't get into that) If you love someone but they don't love you in return, then you're "in love" with them. In that case, you're in love with the idea of this person being your significant other. Expressing your feelings for them, if not returned, can push them away. But if they do return it, then you love them. You can openly express it for each other. But that's only true in romantic love. Otherwise you can love people in general even if they don't love you, like Jesus said.
2006-07-20 14:35:30 · answer #7 · answered by Silver Spoon 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
IMHO there are different kinds of love.
I love my dog, but my dog is incapable of loving me back.
I love my daughter and she loves me.
I love my wife a little differently than my daughter, and she loves me back.
I thought I loved some girl once upon a time. It felt like love, but it died out so I termed it infatuation. The love I have for my wife started out the same but when I knew she loved me, it developed into what I know as "in love" love.
I hope this makes sense.
2006-07-20 14:15:33 · answer #8 · answered by Pappa Poopy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it can but i think its more a perversion of true love, leading to a type of mourning for what coulda be which does not manifest, and later a mourning for the time lost in life due to wasted efforts
2006-07-20 16:12:15 · answer #9 · answered by hazmatbulldog 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋