I often wonder if love can really last a lifetime. I don't mean loving someone as a friend, but romantic love, the kind where your heart still skips a beat, at least sometimes. Most studies show that romantic love can only last 10 years, and that the first stages of romantic love are gone by 15 months. After that, are we all doomed unless we find someone new? A new study shows that about 10 percent of couples keep that "new love" feeling for their entire lifetime.
Does that study mean that only one out of 10 of us are in our ideal relationship? I truly believe that their are soul mates out there for everyone, but how are we supposed to find him? Personally, I don't think that dating for 10 years to figure out if we're still going to feel that real, true love for the rest of our lives is the answer. I mean what if after 10 years, we decide that that special love is gone? Then we'd have to find another person and try for another 10 years. Most of us would never get married to anyone, let alone our one true love at that rate.
But, there is hope. Scientists have began researching the "chemical reactions" that create love. Yes, you heard me right, love may just be a (complex) chemical reaction. One scientist, Larry Young, even says that the chemical oxytocin "could be used in conjunction with marital therapies to bring back that spark." And... if they know the right chemical reaction, couldn't they just test us and see if we're meant to be? Or better yet, I'm sure they could just take our DNA or something and figure out who we should marry when we're born... then we'd be back to arranged marriages. However, the scary thing is that scientists just might be able to develop aphrodisiacs, don't let those get in the wrong hands!
I truly hope that I've found the love of my life... but I guess in another 8 1/2 years we'll find out if all romance is gone or if we're in love for the rest of our lives. And whats the worst case scenario? I get spend the rest of my life with my best friend or undergo some new therapy and take some chemicals, and we'll be back at square one, head over heels for another 10 years.
For more information visit:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/04/true.love.found/index.html?iref=newssearch
and
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7815095.stm
funny you should post this just a few days ago! joe and i met a few friends for dinner the other night and he was running late. i sat down and started chatting with everyone when joe walked through the door and the same nervous/excited feeling rushed over me like it did when we first met!! scientists can call it whatever they want...lust, chemical imbalance, or love, but i too hope that there isn't an expiration date on what we have!
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