Love and Logic

I have a friend who is in love with a man from another culture, one where he is expected to marry a woman of his family's choosing. The man loves her, too, but is torn between that and his loyalty to his family and their expectations of him. It is very likely he'll have to make a choice. His family will probably disown him if he chooses to stay here. Their situation is complicated and at times, seems to my friend, impossible. They are from two different worlds and yet they are in love. Knowing this, knowing that there is a good chance that this man will choose his family, hasn't prevented her from seeing him, from loving him.

If only love made sense. If only we could reason with our hearts, make them love who is best for us. It's funny how we'll try....we'll try to find logical reasons for why we love who we love but the bottom line is that many times, most times, there is no logic. We feel what we feel.

They say that love is blind. Maybe that's true or maybe it's that love sees all...goes beyond the surface to see the potential in someone. Sometimes that potential comes to fruition and sometimes it doesn't and if we act on our love for that person and their potential we are making a willing choice to take that chance.

And what is romantic love anyway? Is it the chemistry between two people, the physical attraction? Is it the enjoyment or comfort we get from being around someone? Is it the feeling we get when we look at someone across the room or look into someone's eyes and can't look away? Is it the desire to know that person? To be near him/her? All or none of the above?

None of these things are logical or can be rationalized, no matter how we try. Nor can we control them. The only thing we do have control over is our actions, how we respond to the feelings we have. I suppose that's where the mind, where logic can be helpful. It has the potential to temper our actions but we don't always listen. And sometimes it can pay off and sometimes it doesn't. I guess the wisdom is in seeing both potential outcomes and being willing to accept either one.