Happiness and love have much in common but they are not the same emotion. One way to understand the difference between the two is to think of love as personal, happiness as impersonal.

The feeling of love for someone you love is personal. You feel an intimate connection at a deep level. You feel that connection also if you love your country, love running or your alma mater. Happiness is different: it’s impersonal. As pleasurable as the experience is, it is not deep and lacks a feeling of connection to someone or something.

Even if you like to think you “love” chocolate or skiing or old movies, the feeling is one of happiness not love. There is no bond of connectedness between you and some other, it just feels good.

A feeling of love usually includes happiness, and sometimes other primary emotions. As wonderful as happiness is, love is greater, and deep personal love feels greater than any kind of ordinary happiness.