We often use these two words, 'like' and 'love', interchangeably in every day conversations, although they mean quite differently.
When someone asked Buddha, "What is the difference between 'I like you' and 'I love you'?", his answer was so simple: "When you like a flower, you just pluck it. But when you love a flower, you water it daily!"
So what do I understand? I think when we like some one or thing, we desire to own or 'possess' it. This may be due to our fear of losing it to someone else, which then leads to emotions like jealousy and greed. All these emotions finally lead to becoming anxious and resentful, and do not allow us to think clearly, leading to a confused state of mind.
On the other hand, when we love some one, there is no desire or need to 'possess' him, rather we allow him to be what he wants to be. We nurture him, his talents and qualities by positive reinforcement, encouraging words, etc. Since there is no jealousy or fear of losing him, we are able to express our feelings and love freely to him. That further acts like a manure for that relationship, making it even stronger and deeper.
It's up to us, what we choose, to like or love some one?
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