There is a difference between falling in love and BEING in love.

Falling in love is easy. People do it all the time. Sure, it can be scary sometimes but it’s not a hard thing to do.

But being in love is a totally different animal. I don’t mean the difference between having loving feelings for someone and “being in love”. I’m talking about the day in day out activity of being IN love. Choosing it consciously every day. Working at it. Talking about what you like and don’t like. Listening. Forgiving. Understanding. Standing still. Going crazy. Climbing high. Diving deep. Building empires. Taking down walls. Supporting. Encouraging. Compassion. Honestly.

Those things… the IN the middle of the love, committed to the love things, to partnership, team-mates, relationship things… those things aren’t easy at all. Those things take balls. Those take courage. Those take commitment. Those take the ability to be raw and open yourself up to the possibility of being hurt in a more real and vulnerable way than anything else. Those things require you to be a person of honor, of respect, of integrity, of strength. It requires you to possess a lot of great personality traits AND not only to be willing to communicate with another human daily but also to be understanding of that person too.

And the fact is, not everyone is able. Or willing. So remember that the next time you hear someone say they love you. They probably really actually do love you because chances are you really ARE just that lovable but please don’t confuse that with commitment.

Because loving you doesn’t mean they can or will DO love with you.