[Turtle]

I ran into a good old friend yesterday. I hadn't seen him for about 8 years. I have thought of him often over time. I love him, deeply. I think of him and feel him as what I call a "Soul buddy." We "get" each other, we feel each other, and we are VERY comfortable with each other. Do we want to have sex, no. Would I give him a kidney...probably.

In dating, I think there can be this initial electricity in being the focus of someone's attention that can be sexy and mood elevating and great fun...and it can deepen into a lasting relationship, but often doesn't.

For me, it's whether or not I feel like the other person has touched my soul that determines whether or not I call it and feel it as love. Does that soul touch always involve kidney donation - no. I'll still call it love, though. Does that soultouch mean I want to marry them - no. Can it happen with someone I meet in the course of my day at work - yes. Will I think of that person with love in my heart - yes.

For me, I love freely with my heart. For me, in my primary settled down coming home to you every night relationship I want and need a deep soulfelt love, trust, depth, caring, and responsibility in thought and action.

The original questions of "how do I know it's love?" - for me, it's the touch of my soul.

And "what do we fall into?" - I think that the "fall in love" thing is the high energy of a new exciting focus mixed in with sexual energy. I believe it is possible to keep that feeling alive even if that "newness" lasts for 35 years.