Falling in Love – One may wonder why we call it “falling in love”. Falling is defined in several dictionaries as to descend, to move downward, from a higher to a lower level. It is confusing when you actually think about it. When you realize that your feelings for someone have become strong enough to call it love, you are not descending. Rather your affection and friendship is rising to another level. Suddenly, being with that person is what makes you happy. It is similar to a “high” or an euphoric state. It would make more sense to use the term “rising in love”. However, I have to admit “falling in love” sounds better than “rising in love” since for years this is how we describe it. If someone you pine for was to say “I'm rising in love with you”; your response would probably be “What”?
Love Hurts – Actually love doesn't hurt, the absence of love hurts. If you love someone and lose them to death, another person or they just leave, it is painful to carry on without them. Love feels good. So why do we say “Love hurts”? If you don't feel appreciated or respected by the person you are in love with, it does hurt. However, this hurt is caused by situations and character flaws of the other person, not the love you feel for them.
Puppy Love – Why do we refer to love in our tender and teenage years as “Puppy love”? One of the dictionaries defines the phrase as ”an informal term for feelings of love, romance, or infatuation often felt when very young into teen years. It is named for its resemblance to the adoring, worshipful affection that may be felt by a puppy.” Many people that had feelings of love when in adolescence went on to have successful marriages. Society wants to minimize it as not being true love. Instead, again referencing the definition of the term, it is considered to be infatuation. Personally, I have never felt a love that resembled my feelings for a puppy. Myself and many of my friends can still recall the love they had toward the person that stole their heart when in adolescence. Studies have shown than many people reconnect later in life with the one that was considered to be “puppy love” and the love is rekindled into a successful mature love that lasts the rest of their lives. Cherry Norton, Social Affairs Correspondent, reports “Old flames reunited make the most lasting marriages." Per her article “An example of young love rekindled is provided by June Chapman and Eric Turner....Ms Chapman was 16 when she met Eric.” They both went on to marry other people. 40 years later they were reunited. Eric said “June was my first love and I never forgot her. I wasn't going to let her go a second time.” The article went on to say that after six months they moved in together. “Our relationship is just as passionate and physical as before, although now we've lost all of our teenage inhibitions." Ms Chapman stated. This article shows that people can experience true love at an early age.
Love is Blind (and deaf) – Dr. Lisa Love wrote in a tweet that questions the phrase “love is blind”. According to her “what people generally mean when they say “love is blind”, typically, they are saying that they are willing to overlook certain things that annoy them.” The couple tends to be very protective of “the relationship”. They “choose” not to see faults in each other. Sometimes this is out of fear because they don't want to see the truth for fear of being alone. In my experience, when outside forces try to say anything negative that they have observed, the couple is deaf to what is said. However, unless the relationship is abusive in any way it is better to let the relationship work itself out. Eventually, one or the other, will begin to see that it was more of an infatuation than true love.
Why do you think we choose to use puns in relationship to love?
