What, if any, are the differences between love and dating? What is love? What is dating? Undoubtedly, many people will insist there is no difference between love and dating, and most certainly, many of you out there are dating and love the person you date. Nonetheless, not everyone who dates actually loves the person they are currently with, just as you don't date everyone you love. Love; love is a huge subject, much has been said on the topic of love, and without a doubt much more has yet to be said.

By definition, dating is going out and seeing someone socially. In the modern world we live in, many people think nothing of dating several people at once, perhaps this is just part of a selfish compulsion to have as much as one can for oneself; or it may be a way of testing the situation. After all, we can buy goods and take them back if we don't like them and test-drive a car, why can't we test relationships. Going out with several people is also a way to try to avoid getting hurt, most of us have been hurt in the past and don't ever want to go through such an awful experience ever again. So we close ourselves off, refuse to allow ourselves to develop true feelings or “love”, instead we go out with multiple partners, date casually and break things off whenever we feel they are getting too serious or love-like.

Dating varies in different cultures; in fact, even people within the same culture will often have many different definitions of dating. While one person may think they are dating, the person they think they date thinks something entirely different. Dating someone and turning it into actual love takes time. Everyone is different and moves at a different pace. Some may have been seriously wounded in the past and take much longer to develop feelings than others. The important thing is to not pressure yourself or others to go at a pace that is not natural; letting things flow naturally is a very important part of love and dating.

There are many degrees of dating. Dating may be simply a single night, a date between two people who find they have nothing in common and do not wish to go out ever again. Often people date casually and both know that there is no commitment involved, and are aware that they will both see other people as well. Dating can also be a serious relationship, such as exclusive dating between two people who believe they may have found their partner for life or soul mate. While many who date may love the person they are dating, others are very clear that they do not love their dating partner, and are often content to keep it that way.