INFATUATION - WILD AND FOOLISH LOVE:

 An infatuation is the state of being completely carried away by an attraction to someone. The dictionary calls it "being blindly in love." In other words, you are so carried away by this attraction that you don’t know what you are doing.
One involved in a romantic infatuation usually cannot think of anything or anyone else other than the person he or she is "in love" with. An infatuation is an exciting experience—an emotional high—but it never lasts long because it is NOT true love.

One of the signs of an infatuation is that you tend to idolize the person you think you are in love with. Everything he or she says or does seems just perfect to you. You do not see his or her flaws. Other people can see plenty of "danger signals," but you can’t see them because you are "blindly in love." Your romantic feelings have taken over and you are not using ordinary good sense.

When you are involved in a romantic infatuation, you tend to be disorganized. You are not yourself. You are irresponsible and you tend to neglect your duties.

Sometimes young people will daydream and "laze" around, not doing their duties. Someone will ask, "What’s the matter with you, Caroline? You are not yourself." Caroline will smile sweetly and say, "Oh, I’m in love."
No, she isn’t! She is infatuated. If she was in love and her love was the real thing, she would be concerned about doing her duties, preparing and planning for her future.

Most infatuations do not last long. What does last is the bitter fruit of wrongdoing committed during the infatuation. Remember, when you are infatuated, you do not use common sense. Your romantic feelings are in control. When this happens, you can do some things that you will regret the rest of your life.

DON'T BE A LOVE'S FOOL:
No one wants to be a fool, least of all a fool in love. But what of being a Fool for Love?

When you become love's fool, you stop living your own life. Your life starts revolving around the other person. When will you see them? Where do they hang out? You find yourself roaming their haunts, hanging around the places you've seen them at the times you've committed to memory. You change your appearance, or try to, wondering if it will get their attention or if they'll like it or if it will make them like you even more.

Basically, infatuation becomes destructive when you do everything for that person. You stop being yourself, you stop pursuing your own interests and doing what is important to you because you are so caught up in trying to impress them or trying to orchestrate magical ways of running into them that will lead to magical conversations that will magically have them falling head over heels in love with you.

If there is anything I know about relationships, it is this: NEVER LIVE FOR ANOTHER PERSON. People do not want to be with a codependent obsessive. People are attracted to independent individuals with their own things going on.

CAN INFATUATION DEVELOP INTO LOVE?:
Most of us experience infatuation and mistake it for love, so you’re probably not going to escape dealing with this one. Love is pure, infatuation is evil. Do not mix the two.

It all sounds so wonderful that we may not see the problem when infatuation is mistaken for love. But it's a big problem, and that's why it’s so important to understand the differences between love and infatuation. Here they are:
Love develops gradually over time. Infatuation occurs almost instantaneously.
Love can last a long time. It becomes deeper and more powerful over time. Infatuation is powerful, but short-lived.

Love accepts the whole person, imperfections and all. Infatuation flourishes on perfection – you have an idealized image of your partner and you only show your partner your good side.

Love is more than physical attraction. Infatuation focuses on the physical.

Love is energizing. Infatuation is draining.

Love improves your overall disposition. Infatuation brings out jealousy and obsessiveness. It causes you to neglect other relationships.

Loves survives arguments. Infatuation glosses over arguments.

Love considers the other person. Infatuation is selfish.

Love is being in love with a person. Infatuation is being in love with love.

If you’ve seen enough TV and movies, you may have already figured out one reason why so many people get confused about love and infatuation. When you’re watching romantic shows or movies, most of what you see is infatuation – people meeting and having a strong, immediate physical attraction. Unfortunately, they almost always call it love. It isn’t, and we should never try to base our own relationships on such nonsense. Sorry, but there’s no such thing as “love at first sight.” There’s “infatuation at first sight” – which can be amazingly fun and thrilling – and someday it may even lead to love. But its risky to build your relationship on the wave of infatuation.