text: what is a difference between lusting and loving somebody?   lust is when you 'love' him because you have to - because your hormones are making you do it - and only after that start finding excuses to do loving things.  lust is when you want to take without giving at least as much in return.  lust is when you calculate how much you're going to give by how much you're getting.  lust is when you marry him because he's giving you what you want, and you just 'have to have it'.  lust is when you move on because you're not getting what you want from the relationship (even though there are good reasons, having nothing to do with feelings, that a permanent relationship between you would make sense).  lust is when you move on just because someone else is giving you what you want, while the one you're with isn't (and there's no other, better reason).  lust is when you can't live without him, and are just devastated when he breaks up with you or says difficult things to you.  ***************************************  love is when you have made all those little choices to 'love your neighbor as yourself', and all of a sudden after a while you find you've got a huge soft spot for him in your heart, and you suddenly notice he's handsome, and then...  love is when you wait until you're ready for a permanent relationship before doing anything that will bind you together permanently.  love is when you give for the joy of giving. period.  love is when you marry because you believe that there's something you will be able to do together, and maybe already are doing it, and you'll be able to do it better if you marry.  love is when he's rejected your marriage proposal, you sometimes don't even dare dream of 'being with him' anymore - and you don't feel the need to 'make yourself move on'. you are happy with your life.  love is when, when you're with him, you're so happy to be with the one you love that you forget the hard things he's said to you.  in other words, love is when he's in your heart, but you don't 'have to have him' - but neither do you 'have to move on'. you love him because you choose to.