Three main qualities go with being in love:
attraction, closeness, and commitment. Relationships can be about any or all of these.
Closeness
Closeness is the bond that a couple develops when they feel comfortable enough to share thoughts and feelings
that they don't sharewith anyone else. The connection between them deepens to include qualities like trust, respect, and honesty.
But closeness is not all about what you have in common. Ironically, when two people are really close, they are better equipped to deal with the things they don't agree on.
Sharing Similarities, Respecting Differences
Most of the time we grow close to people who have the same values and beliefs, or people who have qualities that we admire. This is something that experts call consensual validation. It means that we seek out people who mirror who we are as a way of reaffirming our values, beliefs, actions, and opinions.
Some of you are realistic. You realize that people change so much in their teens that love can end — so you'll appreciate the uniqueness of every relationship while it lasts.
Commitment
Commitment is loyalty. Together you've made a decision to stick with each other through the ups and downs that are part of any relationship. Lots of you mentioned the things that you see as important when a relationship reaches this stage: honesty, fidelity, trust.
