Like VS Love

How do you define the difference of the above terms? I have often heard people say "I will always Love you but I may not always Like you." What does this mean when someone says this? And which one can be more hurtful, more detrimental to us as human beings?

Let us first examine the difference of the two terms. When you Like someone, it can be platonic or something pedestrian. Like can be when you see someone from across the room or between friends. When you Love someone, it tends to run deeper and can be unconditional in terms of how parents may Love a child. Love can also cause us to forgive and embrace things about those ones we Love that we may not appreciate in those people that we Like.

See the difference?

I can Love my sisters unconditionally and Love them through anything they go through and support them. But there are times that they can make me mad and make me not Like them or the things they are doing, rather. But I can never say I stop Loving them. The same goes for those individuals who may have to watch someone they Love go through rehab or a painful experience. In this instance, they not so much disLike the person, but more the thing that is taking the person they Love away.

But which can be more painful?

I was thinking about this tonight. I began to contemplate asking my husband this questions:

"Do you Like me?"

With thinking about this question, I began to roll into my mind what my reaction may be to any response he could pose to me. If he told me he didn't Like me, he Loves me, I would have to clarify my question. If he were to tell me that he Loves me always but not always Likes me, it kind of stings. This is someone who is my friend and partner for life. Who wants to hear that their best friend only Likes us, "some of the time?"

Then again, if he were to tell me that he only Loves me "some of the time," this would almost hurt as much. It would lead me to believe that while he Likes being with me and around me, he does not see it as unconditional at that point in time. Almost like having that awkward conversation at the beginning of the relationship (teenager asking, "Why do not tell me you Love me?").

My husband and I just discussed this and he said, "To Love and be Loved is a blessing." Such a blessing it is. As Christians, we are taught that God Loves us unconditionally, that no matter the turns from Him we may make, He will always pick us up from the pile we create and help us back to the path. Much like the story of the prodigal son. This young man took his share of his father's inheritance and squandered it on pleasures of the flesh, food, wine, gambling, etc. He was left to lie with the pigs, thinking about how his father's servants were treated better and at least in a warm room. He decides to return home and beg forgiveness of his father and to be a servant in his house. But his father, seeing him, rejoices in his return and orders a large celebration. Seeing his younger brother being lavished over, the older brother asks his father why. His father immediately explained that his son had returned to life for he once was dead.

Such is the love of God. We can run away from everything we know, everything we raised up with. But we cannot run away from the Love He holds for us. And each time we come back and request to be a servant in His household, He holds a party for the child He though was dead has returned to life. And it is the children like that who needs the Love more than most.

If you had to choose a difference between the two, which would you rather be told? That you are Liked or you are Loved? Just some food for thought in this thing called, "La Vie."