How do I know if I'm attracted to someone or just lonely and seeking connection?

Mirabai knew the difference between hunger and thirst—one is specific, the other is just dryness. Attraction that matters has texture. It's not just relief from solitude; it's noticing particular things. How someone laughs. The way they think about difficulty. What they pay attention to. Loneliness says "I need someone." Real attraction says "I notice *you*." Here's what helps: When you're with this person, do you feel more like yourself or more like the version of yourself you think they'd like? Does the pull toward them feel like expansion or escape? Loneliness contracts inward; attraction reaches outward toward something specific. Mirabai wrote about the difference between devotion that numbs and devotion that wakes you up. Same principle. Sit with the question for a few days. Notice if you're drawn to *them* or to the idea of not being alone. Your body knows. Your nervous system will tell you—restlessness feels different from genuine recognition. The examined heart asks hard questions. It's worth the discomfort of honest answers.