Distinguishing Love from Friendship

The distinction between love and friendship has been contemplated for a long time, and it can be quite difficult to precisely define the two. Love and friendship are not used interchangeably, but people often confuse the two concepts and find it challenging to explain the difference between them.

What is Love?

Love can be described as an emotion present between two individuals for each other. It is an uncontrollable emotion found between a mother and her child, a brother and a sister, a husband and a wife, etc. The basis of love is that it only exists between pairs.

Love is also defined as an emotion that completely takes over a person and compels them to act in ways they may not have otherwise even thought of doing so. It may lead one to sacrifice everything for someone they love or be so emotionally attached or dependent on the other person that a void is left when the other leaves.

The emotion of love compels one to sacrifice a lot; friendship is a relationship based more on trust. In love, though the special attachment is present, it is not enough for one to trust the other person. Therefore there arises that feeling of insecurity in love.

What is Friendship?

Friendship is a relationship that one has with many people at one time. A group of people can be confidants for someone who they can talk to and share fun moments with. In friendship, whenever the need arises, in situations of emergency, for instance, friends are always there to help. In friendship, a lot of things need not be explained to our friends. There are certain things that friends just understand and may not need explanations for. There is a deep connection amongst friends, kind of like telepathy that makes their mind run in sync.

Unlike love, which is a feeling shared between two people, friendship is a relationship one can have with many at one time. Some may be called good friends, some just friends and other acquaintances who you are delighted to see every time, but it doesn’t make your heart beat fast or cause butterflies in your stomach like love does. It is said that in love, two people having the most opposite of personalities have that attraction between them, but in friendship, it is the case that all friends have similar tastes and personas.

Though both love and friendship will remain to be confusing terms for generations to come, both are much-cherished emotions and relationships that cause delight in a person’s life when present.

Key Takeaways

• Love is an intense emotional attachment between two people, while friendship is a close and enduring social relationship between two or more people.
• Love often involves sacrifice and a feeling of insecurity, while friendship is based more on trust and mutual understanding.
• Love is experienced between pairs, whereas friendship can be shared among many people at once.