In Love without Being Insane

Good for you! You have finally met someone you can really connect with. Maybe you have been on a few dates already, maybe you are only going out for the second time, or maybe you are finally parting after a date that lasted three days. Whatever the situation, you are very close to feeling those four little letters: LOV and E.

Whether you are ready to tell that special someone that this is true love, or you are sim- ply ready to let the words flit repeatedly across your brain, there is no denying that noth- ing feels better than knowing that your relationship is on the road to success. But before you go too far down that rose- petal strewn path to marriage, make sure that you do not en- danger everything by crossing that oh-so-indefinable line be- tween in love and insane.

We have all done it. Your feelings are so great that you ca not help but feel a little light- headed and giddy. When you first start to feel that you may have finally found someone with whom you can be in love for more than just a few short, passionate weeks, it is easy to go from being ready to make a commitment to being ready to be committed. Now is the time to reign yourself in, to let your romantic feelings flow only within the strict confines of their suitable course, and to give your love the chance to grow into something more substantial. Being in love does not mean that the world stops turning; it means that as it turns each day, it brings you closer to the possibility of a great relationship.

Be in love responsibly. Here is how to tell if you have let your feelings run a little too far:

Love is when you:

Can’t stop thinking about how much you are in love.

Call your friends to perform a complete postmortem on all your dates so far.

Cancel previous engagements to go on a date with your new love.

Find it difficult to eat because of the flutter in your stomach.

Ask your parents/friends to share stories of how they knew that they were in love.

Fantasize about a marriage.

Let being in love fill the major- ity of your thoughts.

Insanity is when you:

Keep calling your new partner to tell him or her how much you are in love.

Are so busy daydreaming about your feelings that you just do not bother to eat.

Sing your favorite sappy, ro- mantic music out loud in pub- lic.

Cancel previous engagements in case your new love might call.

Start planning the wedding.

Let being in love fill the major- ity of your actions.

If you fall into category num- ber two, examine your be- haviors or you could very well drive the love of your life away. You have to give him and your relationship room to breathe and grow or you could very well snuff it out.

By: Caterina Christakos