True (or genuine) love is a goal everyone seeks in marriage. Unfortunately, today's society has given us bad information about what love means. In order to discover what genuine love is, you must learn the difference between love and infatuation.
Sometimes you THINK or BELIEVE you are in love, but does that feeling ever pass and you look back and say, "What was I thinking?" This means that instead of being in LOVE, you may have just been INFATUATED. Infatuation can be described as short-lived with lots of butterfly-in-the-stomach feelings, while love can be described as long-lasting and committed.
- You can show someone you love them without being sexually active.
- Bonding to someone sexually can be harmful before marriage
- Having sex as a teenager can impact your marriage.
Why is a healthy marriage important or valuable?
- Married couples are typically healthier
- Married couples are typically wealthier
- Marriage decreases drug and alcohol abuse
- Married couples less likely to commit violent crimes
- Married women less likely to be victims of domestic abuse
- Married men typically earn higher wages
- Married men typically have better relationships with their children
- Married men less likely to attempt or commit suicide
- Married couples report more satisfying sexual relationships
(US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families)