I have heard these words a lot from people and most of the times these words are used interchangeably though most times people were really talking about attachment and not love or commitment.
Understanding these three concepts in-depth and observing our behavior in that context will help live a more joyful life – so here we go :).
Attachment
Attachment is about ourselves and our needs. When we say we love someone we may very well mean that “we really need someone” . The focus of attachment is about filling a void, meeting a need, and taking someone else’s energy to feel better about ourselves.
Attachment is a deep need that is compulsive even though we typically propound is as something good for others. In attachment we feel pain when we do not get what we want and we act to avoid that pain. In attachment our actions arise out of fear of losing what we have.
Commitment
Commitment is exactly opposite of attachment in many ways. It is not about ourselves but about the other person. When we are commitment we feel energized to be there for the other person. We are able to take action for the betterment of other person regardless of what is in it for us.
Commitment makes us stronger and sets us free to even look after ourselves. However commitment alone can not create the highest level of joy and creativity in our lives. In commitment it is possible for the short run to forget about ourselves and also there is no synergy that creates joy. For that we need love.
Love
Love needs commitment but not necessarily the exclusivity that people associate with love – especially romantic love. Love is about “Celebrating US”. It is neither exclusively about ourselves or about the other person. It is a beautiful dance that create synergies and joys that are not possible alone.
Love is natural, love is spontaneous, and love flows. Love releases magical potential in us where both grow and the journey is pure ecstasy.