Do people actually love their friends?

[Anonymous]

To me, I really like my friends, but I love my boyfriend and my family. When my friends say "I love you" to me, I can't respond and I always somehow brush it off so they don't notice I don't say it back

[Apulu_Imback]

Yeah there are different kinds of love. Love isn't all about romantic or family stuff. I love the strangers, I love my acquaintance, I love my classmates, I love my enemies, I love my friends. These are all different kinds of love. That's what I believe.

[Blackcosmo]

Of course you can love your friends. There are so many kinds of love that's not just about family or being in love. You should say it back next time.

[Asker]

I shouldn't lie. So no, not saying it back.

[Blackcosmo]

Oh. I understand.

[serious]

Yes they do. Love is love and yes there are different types of love, love for your brother, love for your friend etc etc.

Hence yes friends can love one another.

[SlothySlob]

People have personal concepts of what love is. Yours is more specific. Your friend's is more broad.

[Asker]

To me, it seems like people see to like someone as a step away from loving them and not as the final destination so to say. I don't think there is such a thing as "platonic love" between friends, I think that just means you like them. To me there is only the love for family, whom you have grown up with and grown a strong bond with, and then there is romantic love.

[SlothySlob]

The problem is that the word love is broad, it has multiple meanings based on context. A stereotype for Italians is that they love eating pasta. It's expected that a son loves his mother. You love your boyfriend.
In all three examples the word is used but the context is different.
First is a form of high enjoyment, second is a strong familial bond, third is a romantic love. Your friends say they love you, but it's from friendship.

[Asker]

My friends say they love me, but it isn't love, I know what love feels like. My friends like me a lot, they do not love me.

[SaartjieJane]

I have one close friend that I actually do love, she’s amazing and in the past 5 years she’s become like a sister to me

[Asker]

See I understand that, but these people are just people that I've been friends with for a long time, but I never felt like it was right to say that I love them, I care deeply for them but I don't feel like one has to love someone to care very much about them. I understand knowing someone, and being close to that one friend and growing to love them like family, but none of my friends have been like that for me and nor have I for them, which isn't a bad thing, it just hurts me that it somehow hurts them that I can't say I love them

[NamerOfStars]

Pancakes. Griddle cakes. Hotcakes. Flapjacks. Four names for grilled batter; one word for love.

[Baylayy]

Tell them you are not comfortable with it. It's self respect if you don't like it

[jahaims]

I'd die for any of my friends

[Anonymous]

Sure, that happens every day of the week.

[In_Trance]

some do