ABC 33/40 - Birmingham News, Weather, SportsHealthy Love

It's Valentine's Day and love is in the air.

Most experts agree that love is a basic human emotion; but, many of those same experts have a very difficult time trying to understand it.

There are all sorts of ways to love.

Experts say, Passionate love involves the butterflies in your stomach -- the racing-heart... the sweaty palms...

That's what typically gets relationships started.

The intense emotions can last anywhere from six to 30 months.

Then, if you stay together it should ''transcend'' into compassionate love.

That's characterized by mutual respect, attachment and trust.

And that's what usually leads to a future together.

But, before deciding to make that commitment, experts say, there are two questions to ask yourself.

Dr. Scott Bea, Psy.D. at Cleveland Clinic says, "Will we accept each other as we are? And how will we be oriented to the commitment of the relationship? Apart from all of the chemistry and other chemical things those, I think, are the two critical things that predict longevity."

Everybody's path to love is different...

So, there's no right or wrong way to pursue it.