Teen love!

[Madame Adequate]

K, time for some anecdotal evidence. My girlfriend and I have been together for a couple of months shy of two years now. We're still very happy together, and I would presume she still loves me as I love her. Ok, neither of us are exactly archetypical teenagers, but I'm just trying to say there are exceptions and it's not all immediately doomed high-school lust and crushes.

Maybe we are doomed, I dunno, but given that we live on different continents and are, as far as most of our friends have told either of us, one of the strongest relationships they've ever seen, and have held together very happily for so long (Because let's be honest, 21 months is a long time for people not even 20 yet.), I'm reasonably confident in saying something, at least, is there.

I'm not so naive anymore to believe that anything like this will work without hard work and willing commitment. I'm not so naive to believe it's all fairy tales and happy-ever-afters. I am of the belief that the hard work and dedication we've both shown each other shows some good promise.

As for feeling love itself, well, maybe I'm not in love. I guess I won't know that until I feel whatever comes next after this feeling I have towards her. Until such time though, this is good enough for me, because I'm happy.

[Nick :)]

There is never an age that is too young for love. Oh ok, so a four-year-old who says "I love my mummy", does that mean he's too young to have feelings? No it doesn't. It doesn't matter what age you are, love can be expierenced, but not explained. I'm 14 years of age myself, and I have recently broke up with my girlfriend and we really loved eachother. I'm not just saying it, I do. I still love her now, and I want her back big time. Every time we kissed, it sent my heart into fits and my stomach would fill up with millions of butterflies. I really do love her, but people say "You don't really, you're too young" Oh ok. So the day I turn 18, will I suddenly wake up and say "WHOA! I'm 18 now! I'm mature for love :D" No, that's not the case. No person can judge if you're in love or not except yourself.

I hope that explains alot,
Nick :).

[FallenSilence]

Teen love = Pain.

Agreed.

[GooeyToast]

Well, teens make love, which is very kinky.

[Shlup]

Puppy Love, they call it. Those people, I think, have very short memories, and no longer recall the realities of their first love experiences.

Oh, perhaps, they've lived through it, grown up, and experienced a deeper level of love so they actually have a greater perspective of the subject.

Yeah, that seems pretty likely. I have a good memory.

[Sasquatch]

There is never an age that is too young for love. Oh ok, so a four-year-old who says "I love my mummy", does that mean he's too young to have feelings? No it doesn't. It doesn't matter what age you are, love can be expierenced, but not explained. I'm 14 years of age myself, and I have recently broke up with my girlfriend and we really loved eachother. I'm not just saying it, I do. I still love her now, and I want her back big time. Every time we kissed, it sent my heart into fits and my stomach would fill up with millions of butterflies. I really do love her, but people say "You don't really, you're too young" Oh ok. So the day I turn 18, will I suddenly wake up and say "WHOA! I'm 18 now! I'm mature for love " No, that's not the case. No person can judge if you're in love or not except yourself.

I'm sure this is kind of cliche, but when you get older, you'll understand.

...We just get more mature and realize (hopefully) what real love is, and the differences between real love and what we though was real love when we were teenagers. There really aren't any "tests" for teen love, like there are for real love, and it's extremely unlikely that a teenage relationship will last more than a couple months, not to say years.

Teenagers tend to greatly exaggerate their emotions.

When you get older, you'll look back on the relationship you had when you were fourteen and laugh at yourself, thinking it was real love.

[Shlup]

I could support what Sasquatch has said from the perspective of a cognitive psychologist but I'm in class right now... maybe later. Suffice to say that a fourteen-year-olds brain lacks the capability to process intimacy in the same way an adult does. Yeah, you can have very meaningful relationships, there's no doubt about it. The differences between teen and adult love are more qualitative than quantitative--which I think is why a lot of teenagers will argue that "no, I really am in love"-- but they're still big differences.

[Sasquatch]

I could support what Sasquatch has said

Whoa. Really?

[Shlup]

Well, yeah. You said it in a lamen way (which isn't meant to be an insult; I don't expect everyone to be able to be interested in psychology), but you aren't wrong. Teenagers tend to greatly exaggerate their emotions, and when we get older we usually look at our teenage "loves" with a chuckle.

But, to reitterate, the difference in those types of love is mostly, if not entirely, qualitative, not quantitative.

[Sasquatch]

Well, yeah. You said it in a lamen way (which isn't meant to be an insult; I don't expect everyone to be able to be interested in psychology), but you aren't wrong. ... But, to reitterate, the difference in those types of love is mostly, if not entirely, qualitative, not quantitative.

True. But remember, you're talking to people who are young teenagers. I figured I'd try to explain it so everybody could understand.

[Shlup]

I think you're underestimating teenagers if you think they wouldn't be able to understand more... "officially" language. To the contrary, I think that when you put it the way you put it, just because of their rebellious nature, they're going to just write you off as wrong. If you can give them a real explaination... they're probably still going to dismiss you as wrong because "omg i noes what i feel, stoopid grown up" but at least something's more likely to sink in.

Same thing with younger kids. Just give 'em some sort of legit explaination, and even if they don't really understand it they're likely to respond well.

[Peegee]

I've had fifty girlfriends and every single time it was true love. I am the prototype teen.

[Drift]

love? pft thats what i say PFT

[Pant Leg Eater from the Bad World]

I think you're underestimating teenagers if you think they wouldn't be able to understand more... "officially" language. To the contrary, I think that when you put it the way you put it, just because of their rebellious nature, they're going to just write you off as wrong. If you can give them a real explaination... they're probably still going to dismiss you as wrong because "omg i noes what i feel, stoopid grown up" but at least something's more likely to sink in.

Same thing with younger kids. Just give 'em some sort of legit explaination, and even if they don't really understand it they're likely to respond well.

I agree with Shlup here. It really frusterates me when adults dont think I can understand something, so they tell me it like im stupid or even worse, tell me I wouldnt understand. I personally respect people more if they explain something to me in a very detailed and difficult way, and I can ask about what I dont understand. and its true, that teens feelings are greatly exagerated, but that doesnt mean they arent there.

[Princess_Yuna]

There is never an age that is too young for love. Oh ok, so a four-year-old who says "I love my mummy", does that mean he's too young to have feelings? No it doesn't. It doesn't matter what age you are, love can be expierenced, but not explained. I'm 14 years of age myself, and I have recently broke up with my girlfriend and we really loved eachother. I'm not just saying it, I do. I still love her now, and I want her back big time. Every time we kissed, it sent my heart into fits and my stomach would fill up with millions of butterflies. I really do love her, but people say "You don't really, you're too young" Oh ok. So the day I turn 18, will I suddenly wake up and say "WHOA! I'm 18 now! I'm mature for love " No, that's not the case. No person can judge if you're in love or not except yourself.

I hope that explains alot,
Nick .

I agree with Nick!