Love is blind?

"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."
~William Shakespeare, Mid-Summer Night's Dream, 1595

First of all, I grew up on Stephen Sondheim and Rodgers & Hammerstein, so I think in terms of musicals. Such is life. Moving on...

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about what makes us love the people we love. Is it really all about pheromones? Fate? Divine intervention? Chance? Tequila?

When I met my Joshua, I was in the seventh grade. I had been on a youth group trip to a local amusement park, and was sitting in the middle of a bus seat next to a friend (although I can't remember who). We were sitting in three's; I know this because I recently found a journal entry, circa Summer 1999, describing the scene in detail, including illustration and direct quotes. Like I've said before, he was my first big crush. It was a crush of convenience at the beginning.

According to my worn-out notebook, there was a boy, Jay, who had a serious crush one me (I believe he proposed to me in the fifth grade or something) and was headed my way. Unable to stand his company for the four hour ride home, I spotted a boy I hadn't met walking down the aisle, searching for an open seat. I had to act quickly. "Hey, you!" I shouted, "...boy in the white shirt!" I flagged him down, I might have even grabbed him by the arm to secure his seat next to me. Extremely ladylike, I know, my father would have been proud. Now, what exactly made me choose him from the handful of church-goers searching the bus for a seat, I don't know, but I certainly am glad I did.

10 years later, my little crush of convenience has given way to something deeper. I'm not sure exactly where all this is going, but I'm liking it so far. For now, he is my encourager, my plus one, and my very best friend. Last night, Josh and I were discussing our differences. We are sooo not each others' "types". But you know what? It's working out wonderfully; he makes me smile.

So, who makes you smile? And what drew you to them? I'd love to hear your stories, feel free to share in the comments or e-mail me if you'd like! You can also check out my other blog for more on this subject.

"You come to love not by finding the perfect person,

but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly."

-Sam Keen

-V

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photo credit

Songs:

"Do I Love You Becaue You're Beautiful?" from Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's Cinderella [lyrics here]