by Elizabeth Dawn

Created on: November 23, 2009

The ongoing tabloid tales of celebrity romance gone sour should be a wake up call to our nation on exactly how love and lust can differ. We as a society think that we know the difference... this is highly unlikely, given the high percentile rate of divorces in the last few years alone. Terminal bachlors and bachlorettes can be seen perusing websites, personal ads, speed dating... only to realize time and time again why they stayed single in the first place.

Passion is a heady experience. It blinds the mind and body, heart and soul. Sometimes the feeling seques into lasting, true love... but more often than not, that is the exception rather than the rule. Our lives and bodies are ruled by hormones and the influx of mainstream media advertising telling us what love should be like. So, when we find that experience that is described to us, we leap without looking. Driving headfirst into traffic, we decide that our common sense has no place in our love life and crash and burn.

Real love requires time, patience, and commitment. It is not the idea that great sex and lukewarm conversation will bring immediate contentment and everlasting happiness. The acceptance of another's flaws and sacrificing time and effort is only the beginning of finding real love. Love, not lust. The hardest part of distinguishing between the two is the feelings with both are incredibly alike. Butterflies in the stomach, tingling all over, nausea.. classic symptoms of either love or lust. Only love will last through the illnesses, financial loss or gain, and the day to day trials we endure.

Love is worth taking the extra time to establish whether it could last... or is it just lustful thoughts eroding your brain? How can one tell if the exciting feelings are real? By the presence of not only lust, but genuine warmth and care for the other person. The happiness and safety means more than just a simple one night stand. It means walking through fire and putting your own needs on the back burner. The contentment felt with someone you love far surpasses anythng had with someone you don't . Parellel to that is the novel approach that being in love makes the perosn more attractive in your eyes, thus eliciting the lustful response anyway. Love is a win-win situation in the end. Love lasts. It is timeless, and makes the bad easier to take. The bitter pill that is life is coated with sugar and goes down smoother with love.

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