How do I know if I'm confusing romantic love with spiritual devotion?

Mirabai's life teaches us something counterintuitive: the distinction isn't always clear, and maybe that's okay. She loved Krishna with an intensity that was unmistakably erotic and spiritual at once. The difference isn't about the feeling itself—it's about what you're willing to examine in yourself. Romantic love often demands exclusivity, possession, recognition from the other person. Spiritual devotion can coexist with those things, but it doesn't require them. It can survive indifference, rejection, even silence from the beloved. Ask yourself: Am I loving this person for who they actually are, or for who I need them to be? Do I need them to change to prove they love me back? Mirabai's freedom came not from choosing one over the other, but from letting love transform her while keeping her integrity intact. The examined heart—that's the practice. Sit with the feeling without rushing to label it. Write about what you actually want from this person, and what you want from yourself. The answer will emerge.