I’m not sure I agree, Anita, given I’ve experienced what John is talking about. I was with mine for 2 years and even though that’s a short time in the grand scheme of things, that feeling wasn’t fleeting at all. Right up until the last time he hugged me, I could feel my heart light up. It was like hugging him made my heart literally glow with light and warmth. It was the craziest feeling, and I would feel it very in the moment. It’s not something that’s forgettable. I’m not sure that it can be likened with a parental relationship. Although that IS where we form our initial attachments that set the stage for what we look for in the future, there is one piece to the puzzle missing with parental relationships, and that’s passion. The “true love” consummate relationship has intimacy, commitment, AND passion. Finding all 3 in a relationship is rare and I do believe, in certain connections, it really does last without fading…. and then other times, you lose one and that’s when the relationship starts going downhill. But, oh, when you have all 3 combined with a feeling of a soul connection, it’s a totally different experience and I don’t think anyone who hasn’t actually felt it can really understand because it’s just one of those things that does sound like a fairy tale or an exaggeration unless you actually feel it. Even after breaking up with me, my ex said he’s never experienced a connection like we have before. None of that really faded. Our problem was mainly our individual personal issues though. We definitely each had some growing up to do.