What's the difference between love and being in love?

Like the title says, what do you find is the difference between 'loving' someone and 'being in love' with someone?

I have a close circle of girl friends that I've known for a while know and I find that most of them focus mainly on finding someone to 'be in love' with and they often confuse those feelings with infatuation. Even I have been like that and feel like sometimes it's all just about being infatuated with someone rather than actually loving them.

ergh - it's all so complicated some times! What are your thoughts / experiences?

Loving someone means you care, respect and hold that person in high-esteem.

Being in love with someone is the same as above but, in addition, you are also fucking them.

Here's a theory - being in love is no different to being infatuated with a person. The difference occurs when people start placing more expectations on what should arise out of that feeling – like a long term relationship or marriage or exclusivity. I like this definition of being infatuated / being in love:

'possessed by a foolish or extravagant passion, esp for another person'