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The entire room goes silent except for the beat of my heart.

A tingling sensation invades my entire body. An electrifying surge pulses through my veins. A volcano erupts from the pit of my stomach. My breath slows. My head feels dizzy. A slow smile creeps across my face.

It all starts with an initial attraction. Whether it’s a big boom or a slow and soft quake, the attraction is there.

Not everyone makes the cut past the initial attraction. Then, the real stuff happens. We begin to fall in love. We feel this craving in the depths of our soul, and in every fiber of our physical being.

Love feels like the warm sun on a cold winter’s day. It’s the umbrella in a rainstorm. It’s having a reliable vehicle when we need to go the distance.

Falling in love is magical. It’s our heart set on fire.

I spoke to some friends who were happy to share what falling in love feels like to them.

“Peace, calm, and tranquility overtake me when I am with her.”

“I know I’m falling in love when the flutters in my stomach are way more intense than butterflies.”

“That excitement of seeing him and hugging him. The anxious feeling in my belly when he sends me a message knowing he’s thinking about me. Knowing I don’t want to be away from him or sleep alone ever again. Love is beautiful.”

“Butterflies, feeling of euphoria, slight nervousness, and feeling high energy.”

“That warm, beautiful glow you feel lighting up your heart from within. The kind that flows out to everyone around you because you’re radiating so brilliantly from it.”

Everyone loves to love.

But some friends admitted they never experienced falling in love. Others admitted they only fell in love with the idea of falling in love. But they never felt like they were missing anything. They felt love in so many different areas in their lives.

We don’t get just one shot at falling in love, otherwise, we have failed. Love comes to us in so many other ways, all throughout our lives.

There are seven types of love:

1. Romantic, passionate love

It’s the love of the body. It’s erotic. It’s that initial appreciation for one’s physical being and beauty. It is the love of desire and passion between two partners. It happens in the beginning stages of dating. People in this state of love tend to experience powerful feelings for each other. They can’t seem to get enough of each other.

What is not to adore about this electrifying kind of love? It most likely won’t last but it makes us feel alive. It provides us with an intense feeling that is exciting and thrilling. We might not always have opportunities to feel this unique connection with someone, so let us appreciate how special this truly is.

2. Affectionate, authentic love

This is the love we feel for our friends. It is encouraging, kind, and authentic. It’s the ingredients that make for great friendships. This love confirms that we are compatible with another human being. This love creates a sense of harmony.

This is where we find our true soulmates.

3. Playful, flirtatious love

This love is fun, sexy, and flirtatious. It’s casual, sexual, and exciting in an innocent way. It’s the love that allows us to have fun, laugh, tease, and feel giddy around another person.

This love makes us feel young and vibrant. Almost as if we are still sexy enough to catch the eyes of another.

4. Unconditional love

The love for our children, parents, and siblings. It is love without any limitations, or without conditions. They can do no wrong in our eyes. We might not always agree with them but we love them anyway.

Sometimes, we might not even like a family member, but the love is there. It will always be there, unconditionally.

5. Self-love

Our ability to tend to our own well-being and happiness. It’s that healthy love for ourselves that reinforces our self-esteem.

This love is so important. We won’t be able to fully understand love until we love ourselves first.

6. Long-lasting, committed, companionate love

This is that true type of love we dream about. True love is a strong and lasting affection between two people who are happy and passionate in a fulfilling relationship. This love is built on understanding, commitment, and devotion.

This is our forever love. And we are lucky if we find it. Hold on to this love. Don’t take it for granted. It’s going to take a lot of work to make this love last forever. But it is so worth it.

7. Love for mankind: universal love

It’s love for other people and having harmony for everything and everyone. It’s our connection with the world around us. We are part of everything. Everyone is connected with love, energy, and knowledge.

It’s that kind of love that drives us to be there if someone needs us, no matter what.

Love is one of our basic and fundamental needs. We can’t live without it. It’s when we want what we need, and need what we want.

We create love out of strong, personal bonds. It gives us the assurance that we are not alone in this world.

Love is our very first emotion. And love may be our very last.

If we feel love throughout our entire lives, then we have accomplished what we were here to do, and that’s to love and be loved—every damn day.

Feel love. See love. Touch love.

Never stop loving. However we give it. Whoever provides it. We must love with our whole heart, and with our entire soul.

We were born to experience love, in all its different ways.

We must love with everything we have got.