I love her, I love her not...?

Nihar Gokhale / TNN / Aug 8, 2007, 00:00 IST

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Having a girl as a friend since childhood sure has its own set of smiles. You get to interact with, and know about, the nuances of being with the opposite sex.

When can you tell that your childhood friend is more than just a friend? Read on to find out
You’ve known her for as long as you remember. It was way back when both of you met the first time, and by now you have lost count of how many times she has seen you through your sorrows and tough times. You know for a fact that she will always be there for you, and you treasure every moment spent together.
Having a girl as a friend since childhood sure has its own set of smiles.You get to interact with, and know about, the nuances of being with the opposite sex.
However, it’s very easy to cross that line and step from friendship to beyond when you both enter your late teens.

Blame it on the hormones if you like, but it’s now that you might wonder if the girl is actually your true love? There are scores of memories your mind keeps going back to. And, you might think, "was that love?" Again, there would be times when you would think, "well...we’re just friends."
How, then, do you know if the relationship has blossomed into something more special than a platonic friendship?
"I’ve experienced this myself, and I reckon that love happens by itself, at a later stage," says Anil Puran, a college student. "The bond strengthened over all the years surely plays a role, but then the two are totally different feelings. I feel one would know when he feels differently for the girl, and that’s the right time to tell her!" he says.

Adds Nikhil S, another student, "A long-lasting friendship is certainly an asset and I think a relationship that stems from friendship will inevitably be strong." He agrees with Anil, and adds, "If you’re not in love with her, it would surely show in the way you think of her and the way you talk to her."
Even if love, which instills different feelings for a girl, can be easily identified, another common sign is that you very frequently remember the moments of quiet togetherness.
"Such feelings often indicate that the mind is excessively in favour of being in love with the girl, and men should be confident to take a cue from it and tell the girl," informs Dr Shyam Sunder, a psychiatrist and relationships expert.
So if you have a childhood girlfriend, and can’t explain the feelings that arise in you when you think of her, or talk to her, then be sure you’re bitten by the love bug!
How to know if you're in love
You think about her all the time.
Everything you see or do reminds you of her.
You care more about her safety and happiness than you do about your own.
You start caring more about your own appearance.
You suddenly want to impress her.
You're in love if commitment is actually starting to sound like something you could stand.
You just aren't noticing other girls around you.

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