This I Believe Essay
Love vs. Infatuation
We live in a world today full of misunderstood concepts. One of the most misapprehended words is love. Love is defined as feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person, such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a sense of underlying oneness (Dictionary.com). The general public has confused the difference between love and infatuation and throws the term ‘I love you’ around like it is an everyday expression. The word love is becoming desensitized and it is becoming a phrase used by many adolescents in order to gain physical desires of the opposite sex. Unmarried couples are becoming more willing to have intercourse with their partners due to this familiar phrase.
When one says ‘I love you’ to another, a new level in the relationship is approached. Before this term was used to get a little extra in the bed, ‘I love you’ was a huge step. This single phrase meant a commitment to another person, a commitment so strong that it was almost unbreakable. The word love means sacrifice, a willing aspiration to help another succeed and accomplish tasks in their life. Love is unconditional; no matter what another person may say or do, you will still be there for them. Love is patient, kind, and just. However, infatuation has seemed to overturn the way in which society thinks love actually is.
Love is now correlated with sex. Some situations are so disgusting that sex is the single factor of the relationship. If you won’t have sex with your partner, then why should they be with you? Many teenagers, especially girls, are insecure of themselves and desire to be loved. They often get stuck in infatuated relationships and eventually give in to having intercourse with their partner to avoid breaking up. The same situation is seen in a guys’ viewpoint, but not as often.
Overall, I wish society could take a step back, and control their sexual desires so true love can gain back its true meaning. Love does not depend on sexual intercourse and people need to distinguish whether or not their feelings represent an infatuation or real love. Love is something everyone will eventually experience. However, pretending to love someone, especially to receive sexual pleasure, is not the answer.