Love Lounge: Like vs. love

Here's a confession, friends: I used to be a staunch love-at-first-sight kind of girl. I used to think that was all that existed -- no in betweens, no maybes, no half-hearted glances. I used to think that there was nothing better, more thrilling or more exhilirating than that moment when you look at someone and realize, "There he is. That's the man I'm going to spend the rest of my life with." And then I came across something that got me thinking:
I'm pretty sure like can be subsituted for lust here. This graphic is pretty telling, isn't it? When you think about it, there are so many shades of gray, and sometimes like can get so tangled and become so enmeshed with love that it's nearly impossible to tell them apart. Sometimes it's hard to separate one from the other.

And is it even a bad sign if you don't feel that rush of love right away? We're often taught that love is so much stronger than like. If we don't love passionately, then it doesn't mean anything. If we like something, our feelings aren't deep enough to go anywhere. I admit that I've found myself in this trap a time or two.
Like is bad.

Love is good.

But what about the bridge that like can create? OK, I know, friends, it's a cheesy metaphor, but it's a true one. I can't help but think that it's in those little moments of like that lead to love. It's in those early conversations of getting to know each other, even if you're just chatting about your favorite books. It's in laughing at each other over your choice of movies. It's in those little moments you don't even know are taking place at the time. I suppose it's sort of like finding love when you're not even looking for it.

So what about like at first sight? Sure, you may not be head-over-heels, fireworks-exploding-everywhere, magnetically pulled to someone, but you can feel something for that person. There's something about you them that makes you want to get to know them better. Maybe that can be just as thrilling and exciting.
After all, maybe it's called falling in love for a reason. You don't just do it in one fell swoop. You do slowly and naturally. You carefully make your way across that bridge, and eventually -- sometimes before you even realize it -- you find yourself on the other side.

I'd love to know, friends: What do you think is the difference between like and love? Have you experienced one more than the other? Can like lead to love? Has it for you? xoxo

[Photos via Magical Thinking and Le Love]