What is love?

A lot is being said lately on the subject of love, so I thought I'd throw my hat into the ring on this one. For those of you who don't know, Maggie is really, really in love. She has been dating the man of her soul for about two months now, and some people think that being in love after two months is to soon. I myself think that they are each lucky to have found something so wonderful in the other. I would like to look at this issue from a couple different viewpoints.

First, as someone who takes psychology classes for fun. In psych, there is something called the four myths of love: 1) When you fall in love, you'll know it, 2) When love strikes, you have no control over it, 3) True love lasts forever, and 4) Love can conquer all problems. I'd like to pay attention to numbers 1 and 2. Not everyone who falls in love knows it. Sometimes it creeps up on you and taps you on the shoulder, and other times it walks up to you, slaps you across the face and says "hey!" People can go for long periods of time without ever knowing they are in love. Related to that statement is number 2. You do have control over things when you fall in love. Some people behave in the most irrational ways when they think that they love someone. You need to sit down and look at what you are feeling and decide if it's just infatuation/lust or if it really is love. From this p.o.v, two months seems like a bit fast to be in love.

Next, from the view of a poet. As a poet, I write a lot about the subject of love. It's not really that I want to, it's just something that happens. For most writers, love has this odd, other-wordly quality that needs to be expressed through written words. Many of the words used to describe this emotion give an image of light, flowing, everlasting beauty. Things like water and light are used to symbolize the coming together of elements, since both combine with others rather easily. Poetry tends to emphasize the romantic, everlasting idea of love. A lot of it puts love on a pedestal, something to be admired and sought by everyone. Love, in this context, is something that you fall into. Love is also something that you can fall out of. It is like a dawning and a drowning at the same time, being peaceful, painful, sweet and sour all at once. A broken arm followed by kisses to ease the pain. According to this p.o.v, love at first sight is possible.

Lastly, from my point of view. I've been hurt by love, and it's a deep scar that's still healing, although it's almost gone. Everyone has love inside of them, at least on some level. With some, it's deep inside, and with others, it's out in the open for all to see. Since people have it in them, it only needs to brought out by someone, or something else. When two people bring out the love in each other, it's one of the greatest things there is. If you are lucky enough to find your soul mate, then you are truly blessed. It is human nature to love, although some people may not believe it. Love is something that flows through people like water, and when shared between two people, makes them closer. I think that, as long as you are rational enough to separate infatuation from love, you can fall in love after a couple of days. It took me a while to fall in love that first time, but it was worth it while it lasted. Looking back on it, I'm not really sure if it was love as most people would define it, but I know it wasn't infatuation. I know Maggie well enough to know that she wouldn't say she was in love unless she was (Maggie is very rational). For me, two months is not to soon to fall in love. Be happy you've found someone and cherish everyday you have with them.

Now, having tackled this serious topic, I'd like to end on a lighter note.


Saturday night at Sally Bees:

Me: What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?

Pat: I have no idea.

Me: It creates a rip in the fabric of time, which in turn spawns a black whole............. and kills a puppy.

Pat: What!?