Saturday, April 20, 2019

Love At First Sight... Can It Really Happen?

Their eyes meet across a busy restaurant, or store, or while waiting for a train. Sparks fly. (I'm picturing this in my head and thinking, "Isn't that dangerous?"). Anyway, you know how the stories show this impossible event.



Love at first sight... Is it real or something made up in our writer's imagination?
I've asked this question before and the votes seemed to be split almost 50/50. Some people say they did indeed know their mate was for them the first time they met. Other's aren't buying it.

Well, according to an article I found in Psychology Today, here is the conclusion they came up with--
Love at first sight actually is experienced by people, but it's not so much "love" or "passion," Instead, it's a strong pull or attraction that makes someone particularly open to the possibilities of a relationship. (Zsoks et al., 2017)
A strong attraction? Okay, I can buy into that idea. 

This year, my husband and I will be celebrating our 31st Anniversary! I still remember the very first time I crossed paths with Mr. Castle. I was leaving the hair salon I worked at and he was coming in to clean our tanning beds. This was something he did for extra cash on the side after a day of working construction.

I didn't even give him a second look. He was still dirty, sweaty and covered in sawdust from working all day. But as I headed to my car, he whistled at me.
Yes, whistled at me! 

Despite how annoyed I was, I'll admit, I was a little flattered, too. Now I wonder...did that mean he took one look at me and fell in love?

Ha! Not sure I'd call it love at that point, but perhaps there was an attraction. 

According to another article I found at eHarmony, he just might have had some strong feelings that first time he saw me.
Looking at what other people think, a survey found that 60% of people believe in love at first sight and 41% of men or 29% of women have reported experiencing love at first sight. Some scientists say love at first sight could be possible, especially considering that it’s possible for our brain to make a decision about attraction in one-tenth of a second.

So, see? It's possible.
But not necessarily for me. You see, that first time we met, although I was repulsed/flattered over being whistled at, I kind of blew it off. Until a week or so later when I was at a mutual friend's house and Mr. Castle was there, too.

This time he was cleaned up!

And I noticed that under all that sweat, dirt, and sawdust was a handsome guy, tanned from being outside and quite muscular from hard work. This time, I was definitely giving him a second look. But that's not what really captured my heart.

As a matter-of-fact, it took me a little longer to give him a chance at a first date. I was a quiet, shy girl and Mr. Castle and his buddies were loud, boisterous, and kind of wild for my taste. What finally got me to agree to go out on a date was that out of all the guys in his crew, he laughed the most. Seriously. He was always smiling and laughing. Always.

In an article I found in Women's Health, they attempt to debunk the love-at-first-sight theory. Actually, they called it "total B.S."
Relationships are about working through differences, getting through hardships, and striking a balance with your partner over and over again.
One thing I say, again and again in my stories is that Love Is A Choice.  Perhaps it starts out with all the flighty feelings and pounding heart, but when it comes down to lasting relationships, we daily have to make a choice to love our significant other despite the unlovable things they do.

So maybe we start with that sudden spark, or perhaps a slow burn, but either way, that's what love stories are made of, don't you think?

Now it's time for you to weigh in. Which do you believe is more plausible? Perhaps you have your own experiences. Share below in the comments.

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This month, I'd like to tell you a little about my Madison Creek sweet romance series. Set on the lake shores of Michigan, you can start your bookcation with Snow Belle for only .99¢, where you'll meet Haley, a southern girl with big dreams and Ethan, a violinist determined to not return home a failure.

Watch the video below and if it strikes your interest, visit my website to find all the places you can order this book or other love stories from Madison Creek.



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8 comments:

  1. Lovely post, Jackie. And for the record, I believe in love at first sight. :)

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  2. Can love at first sight happen? I think an attraction can happen.

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  3. Yep...attraction can be magnetic. But dont base everything on only attraction!

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    1. That's good. Strong relationships take time. But that first attraction is like the hook that gets us to take a second look, I suppose. =)

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  4. I think there can be instant attraction, but I think love has to grow. But I also think love can happen pretty quickly after that attraction.

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    1. That's what gives us lots to work with in our stories. =)

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