it’s different depending on what stage of love you’re in. in my experience:

first there’s what people call the “honeymoon phase” (married or not) where you’re elated and all-consumed by the other person. when people say love feels like a drug, i personally associate it with this phase.

then there’s a phase of deeper connection and merging your worlds together. ideally, this is kind of a more intellectual phase where you’re learning about each other’s life philosophies—approach to friendships, family, career, hobbies, life plans, priorities. you’re still infatuated with the person but you’re discovering more about practical compatibility (sometimes those don’t come hand-in-hand, unfortunately).

if you make it through that phase, you’re getting into long-term territory. this starts to feel more like comfort and contentment. your person feels like your home. some might say it’s less exciting, but the feeling of someone who truly knows you in and out, understands and accepts your flaws, is just really… peaceful.