Love vs Lust

So how do you tell the difference? When you're strongly attracted to someone and are feeling desire

 and longing for them, it's very easy to confuse this with real love; but it's not. Lust is purely physical with a need for gratification, and it is driven by hormones. Lust is short term, and love is for the long haul.

If you find a person's face and body gorgeous, and the things he/she does pushes your buttons, then you have lust, and it feels fantastic; but it's not love. When the chemicals start to fade from your body, the lust will disappear; and you'll be wondering what you ever saw in him/her.

Now let's take a look at love because it's not just physical attraction. It's far more than just that.

You have great compatibility. You are sincerely interested in what your partner says and can spend hours just talking.

You want to spend all of your time together, without the involvement of sex.

You see a future together and talk about it seriously. You begin to plan your lives together, including marriage, home, and family.

You introduce him/her to your family and all your friends with great pride, and it is very important to you that they like him/her.

You include your partner in all your plans and consult with him/her for advice on things.

You become more romantic. This is especially true of guys, as girls start out that way anyway. Guys will send flowers and notes, plan romantic evenings, and call just to say they missed you.

If someone says something unkind about your partner, you jump to their defense.

WE becomes more important than ME.

You want to know everything about him/her and you can accept both the good and not-so-good qualities.

You support each other's interests and encourage them toward their goals.

You have an intense feeling of caring for your partner and only want the best for him/her.

You want to spend your whole life together.