Love is universal. There’s not a person on this planet that hasn’t experienced some form of love whether it be platonic, romantic, or familial. When it comes to romantic love, though, do the sexes really experience things differently? I asked 13 guys to weigh in on how they experienced love and this is what they had to say.
- It’s giving everything you have. “Have you ever told someone you’d give them your arm? Like, literally give them your arm? But, no. It’s like I feel a sense of completeness. It’s wholesome. Being in love gives your life more meaning.” – Matt G., 33
- It’s about growing up. “I think it feels like nothing else matters. You don’t care about the dumb macho things you used to care about or showing off anymore. It makes you grow up. Having her love makes all the highs higher and the lows way better than they would be if she wasn’t around.” – Nicolaas K., 31
- It’s a forever type of happiness. “My love for my wife, Lina, makes me feel so happy that I couldn’t ever imagine life without her.” – Ken K., 59
- It’s the thing that makes the world seem like a better place. “I try to think of it as the evolution and intensification of the way I feel about the whole world. I love the world around me and care about it, but only so much. The people I’m closest to get more of my affection and a more involved and directed love. Those I’m in love with are the ones who I try hardest to show that feeling. That being said, I think that romantic love is more than that. I have always said romantic love is the irrational feeling that you can’t live without someone even though you know you can. That they give your life meaning even though it had it before. Simply put, they are the thing that is supposed to make the world seem better and your space in it seem more tolerable. They are the first ones you want to share the great successes with and help you get comfortable about the great failures you have.” – David W., 33
- It’s a rollercoaster of emotions. “It’s scary and vulnerable. You leave yourself open to hurt and disappointment but at the same time, it’s like an exciting and restless whirlwind of uncertainty.” – Jeremy B., 37
- It’s full of emotions. “There are a lot of feelings involved with being in love. They would include but are not limited to passion, caring, companionship, trust, happiness, laughs, and wanting to share time together.” – Andrew K., 48
- It’s about being with the perfect partner for you. “For me, love hits hard daily. I’m stubborn. I mean REALLY stubborn when it comes to how I like things to run. This makes me one hard personality to get along with at the best of times. It works for me in varying aspects of life though. My pride comes from my successes. I work hard for them. However, when you’re partnered with someone who so elegantly navigates your ups and downs, without asking anything in return, I realize that my successes are not my successes… they are ours. One does not work without the other and that, to me, is where love hits hard daily.” – Tyler P., 34
- It’s about diving into dangerous territory. “Love is like eating something that you enjoy but you are allergic to it!” – Todd D., 52
- It’s authenticity in the best way possible. “I would say being in love feels like you can be your own truest self in front of the person without worrying about what they may think.” – Liam D., 24
- It’s about finding a genuinely true connection you can’t get anywhere else. “I would say the experience of love is more simple than most people might say, it’s a connection, spiritually, mentally, physically. Good, bad, sick, healthy. You experience everything they experience, you feel what they feel. Almost like you have a twin, just a connection that not everyone would fully understand. I feel if I wasn’t in love I wouldn’t have that connection and my relationship would be chaos.” – Dan B., 34
- It’s finding strength in vulnerability. “Being in love is having absolute trust in someone. Being in love is feeling invulnerable while you’re most vulnerable.” – Adam K., 26
- It’s about growth as a person and as a partner. “I believe the feelings of love are a reflection of the inner growth a person has on a few key character traits. Trust because as you grow with a partner you project your feelings and emotions surrounding trust onto them. Through time, you learn to trust yourself and develop into the person you need to be in order to be a trustworthy partner. Commitment because you learn through time the importance of prioritizing your values and grow the understanding of how much and when you need to show up. Your partner will help nourish this inside you by being open and committed themselves. And selflessness because through love you learn to let go of your ego. To sum it up, love is simply growth. Inner growth and partnership growth. Love is the willingness to show up and put in the effort to become a better version of yourself.” – Phillip M., 32
- It’s a choice. “To me, love isn’t an emotion, it’s a choice. We choose to be vulnerable, let our guards down, share our deepest insecurities with that one person. We choose to be patient and kind. That’s what love is to me, choosing to commit your body, mind, and soul to one another.” – Josh V.C., 31
