With Valentine's Day right around the corner many people are asking how can you tell if the feeling you have is really true love? Love is often confused with many emotions, especially lust (for men) or security (for women.) Take those things away and suddenly you might find things just don't work out between the two of you. There are three definite signs to look for to tell whether the love you have is true and everlasting: be yourself, be best friends, and self-sacrifice.
The easiest way to tell whether it's really love you are feeling is if you are able to be completely yourself around him/her. If he thinks you are the sexiest thing since Marilyn Monroe when you come out of your room wearing orange sweat pants and your mothers pajama tops, then it's real safe to say he's in love. Or, if she can't wait to hear you talk about your latest physics project, you know she's got it bad.
Also, love comes in many forms, but the love between a man and a woman should be in the form of best friend. If you can't spill your guts to them, or they bore you a lot with the topics they are genuinely interested in, or you don't get a lot of support for your goals, it doesn't necessarily mean there isn't love, but it will put a strain on the relationship. This is true especially if your best friend is someone of the opposite sex. If you ignore your partner's feelings to spare someone else from being upset, this is a pretty good sign that your relationship is in trouble.
The third sign of true love is that you always want what is best for them. If they want to go to school in another city, be willing to move with them, if you must, or be willing to wait until they graduate. As you grow old together these decisions will include things like child planning, career changes, activities, or even nursing homes. When you love someone there is always self-sacrifice and compromise- give and take. This is a continuous process throughout any relationship that never stops; true love makes it possible.
If you have these three things in your relationship, chances are pretty good that you have the kind of love that lasts forever; these are the things that are built on respect. But then, if you have this kind of love, it's doubtful that you'll be reading this article; you probably already know it.
