Well, that is something I totally wonder about.
To me the most reasonable explanation is that it isn't love.I have a very dear friend that lives in CA which I have never seen , we have had long conversations and have felt very close to each other because of it( a lot of things in common), but we have also always wondered if the day that we actually meet we will actually like each other as much as we like each other now as "long distance friends".
Further more, even know we have been so close we don't stop from seeing anyone else, if you were with the right person you would not want to be with anyone else, even if it is long distance.
I also don't think that there can be love without a physical contact.I strongly beleive that (for me). I would never consider anyone "anything" to me unless I have at least kissed him.Also, with that saaid, I can't just kiss anyone, the attraction has to be already there and I hardly ever find anyone attractive to that degree.
For example, on line dating, I never bother with it because I am convinced it will not work in the end.
Of course this is all from my point of view and why I ask the questions.
There is a guy though that can stand next to me and does not have to say nothing or say anything and I can literally "feel" him , it is weird and I am not sure what it is, even he has said to me how he can not explain such connection.
I just want to know.
Today I was talking to another of my good friends that is in a relationship and is going to have a baby, he has a good relationship with this woman and loves her but when you ask him which one is the "one" he mentions another one, one he is not with.
Another one of my good friends just called me and she was crying, she was going to get married, got engaged some months ago, he just told her tonight that he is calling it off because he has strong feelings for someone else that happens to have a boyfriend.
I don't know one person right now that is happy with the right person, I know many that have settled but when you ask these people (as a secret) if they are with the one person they think of when they go to bed at night, all will say no.
It gets deeper than this but I also have more unanswered questions for it so I am not even going to bring that up.
I am still in the middle of research and so far all my clues are lead to beleive that love is truely something chemical/spiritual.
Not friendship, not an arragement for better financial situation or social status.
NOT settleting.