Article February 15, 2010 Issue

Rising—not falling—in love

BY REBECCA ODEGAARD

FALLING IN LOVE IS SOMETHING most people experience at one time or another. Often, it is associated with a delight in knowing someone who shares similar views, a compatible outlook, and is mutually attentive and affectionate. For many, falling in love describes rising to an emotional destination that promises happiness forever.

For others, "falling" in love can be fraught with snares, complications, and choppy patches. It can mean navigating uncharted waters, and feeling heartbreak, confusion, remorse, and can even include bouts of hatred. Sometimes compared with fireworks, falling in love can result in excitement beyond imagination, or lead to devastation and disappointment.

Skimming through the dictionary for the word fall, I found that "falling in love" means, in part, "to become enamored with" (Oxford English Dictionary online). And nearly every other usage describes a negative descent, either physically or figuratively, and it is frequently referred to as the opposite of lifting each other up.

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About the author

Contributing editor Rebecca Odegaard is a Christian Science practitioner and teacher. She and her husband live in Boston, Massachusetts, and she teaches in New York City.

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