This survey was the third in the series, and ran during the month of November, 2001. The question was:
David Meldman wrote:
I can only respond that it's easy to understand why fools fall in love, the
real bugger of it is why the rest of us do it. ;)
Lindsay Hayden wrote:
He used to tell this story...how he passed out, at Madame Tussaud's wax
museum, in London (in the chamber of horrors, they were having some sort of
a Jack the Ripper thing, and they had that peach flavored smoke, you know,
the kind they have at the rollerdrome and I guess he just lost it)
and at church once, too.
He was raised Catholic.
He was a Fainter, I guess.
I'm a fainter too, soI can relate.
Anyway.
The cut was tiny.
Eyelash length, maybe.
But prolific.
A real Bleeder, and
it was pooling up in my cupped hand
with a lot of splash and gore.
We had been arguing a moment before, but gently
which is how we always argue
(except this time it was me I had hurt his feelings which sort of pleased me
in a selfish way that he valued my opinion enough that it could affect him
so, that's what I mean)
He had been scowling and throwing spitballs at me
half-heartedly
But now here he was, the Fainter
working like a very technician,
scowl turned to concern as he held my hand under the tap, red-orange
droplets sputtering against the porcelain my blood running quietly over his
fine piscean fingers.
He put his hands into my wound
and did not flinch.
He made me think of mothers.
After, I apologized.
and he said
I already forgave you anyway.
Jackie Herman wrote:
Hermmmmmmm......
Why do fools fall in love? Everyone falls in love at some point, and I s'pose
in the whole spectrum of things...Fools would fall in love too then..right?
and Yes our Mr. Brian does have a point that people could look at a person
who is in love and call them a fool..and what would the fool care...after
all he is the one in love! So can I come up with a statement of my own? How
bout this...sorta goes back to the last question..."just who do you think
you are?" Well according to this question "I am a fool"
That is all
Aaron Pavao wrote:
At this, current point in my life, I'm either a bad choice for this question or an imminently qualified one.
Fools fall in love because they are people, and people, for what ever reason, fall in love.
Arguably, all people are fools, or rather act foolishly. Even those who are not foolish are foolish to someone. And so fools are people, and people are fools, and they fall in love. Ergo, the real question is "Why are people?".
But, sophistry and spurious logic aside, I think that this is less a question of a fool falling in love and more a question of a person falling in love foolishly. Love should be approached with the respect it is due, and as a very strong force in the psyche of humankind, it deserves a lot of respect. Falling in love is a great thing, but to be treated properly, it must be coupled with trust, understanding, consideration, caring, faith, teamwork, and probably a couple other things I can't name because I have yet to get it 100% right, myself.
Compare "only fools rush in".
Brian Akey wrote:
Alight, I've finally jumped in on this. It's been fun seeing what other had to say, and I'm kinda sorry I didn't put my two cents in. So, better late than never, no?
My response to the question posed - "Why do fools fall in love?"
All kinds of people fall in love - in fact, it's safe to say, that all people fall in love at some point in their lives. Which, in essence, makes us all fools. So, the question then becomes a two parter:
1) Why do I fall in love?
2) How does that make me a fool?
Addressing #1 - I think I fall in love to help fill a void inside me. Something is missing. The larger part of that is a need to share my life (life experiences) with someone. I have an innate or inbred desire to take care of, help, hold (dear), lean on, cherish, respect, foster, defend, admire, adore, revere and treasure another person. I don't know where the void comes from. I sometimes wish it didn't exist. Life would be a little easier without it, but it seems to be a large part of why life is so worth living.
Addressing #2 - Having just been a little existential there with #1, I don't think falling in love inherently makes people foolish. It can, however, make me vulnerable and appear foolish. The feeling of love is something of a narcotic - when I'm under it's influence, I don't particularly care how I look. Foolish or otherwise.
How 'bout them apples?
Carl Klinger wrote:
Fools fall in love, mostly, because they are raised to believe they must. Folks raised by TeleVision fall in love with the first attractive thing they see. Social elite do not fall in love, rather have mergers that are in some way beneficial.
I, personally, would probably fall in love with someone who is not short-sighted. Too bad I already fell in love with a truck from the early '70's. Talk about foolish!
Andrew Heinrich wrote:
I would simply say that it is a fool who does NOT fall in love when the
opportunity presents itself.
Little Bird wrote:
I keep thinking about this one. It is by far the most difficult for me, and I've realized the reason is that love is too subjective. I've been in love. I don't consider myself to be a fool. Sometimes silly, sometimes mean, sometimes I'm hurtful - often to myself, sometimes I'm oversensitive, but the thing is that all of these sometimes only prove that I'm human. And I think that's really the best answer of all.
Why do fools fall in love? Because we can. Because it's often more interesting than TV. Because it's more readily accessible than millions of dollars. Because we can.
Katherine Olson wrote:
I think that fools fall in love, hoping that it will make them wise. Wise
people fall in love knowing that it makes them foolish.
Kerri Flippin wrote:
To complete ourselves. I believe that we, on our own, are only part of what
we can be. Love is the spiritual connection with another that helps to
complete or accentuate both. We are pieces that can lock with and complete
each other. When we love another, we share ourselves, our experiences, and
our lives with another person and then exist as more then we are on our
own.
Love, unfortunately, is not a matter of the mind, but of the heart. Very
often, we have no choice when, or if, we fall in love. If anyone has ever
loved someone that their mind adamantly tells them not to, we realize that
pieces of ourselves can fit with another whether we want them to or
not...our spirits know what our minds cannot.
We are not fools for loving. We are richer.
Jacki Allen-Olson wrote:
Why Do Fools Fall In Love…that is the question.
I have fallen in love many times over the years. Foolish, perhaps but one of
the greatest feelings in the world. And of course as with many falls,
sometimes I got hurt but I picked myself back up and went forward not looking
for it but eventually tripping over that emotion once more. I don't know if
the question posed is the correct one, perhaps it should be do fools
recognize love when they find it. To love and be loved is one of the greatest
experiences a person can have in their lifetime and to miss out on even one
person with whom you can share that experience is sad.
And if you fools out there are really lucky, that love might just come
knocking at your door and give you a second chance. So don't be afraid , go
ahead and fall!
Gretchen Olson wrote:
I blame it on the media. A fool will watch a romantic movie or hear
a sappy lovesong on the radio and think
"well, gosh that sounds nice...maybe it would be right for me!"
That is why fools fall in love. Smart people fall in love because one
of them has blue eyes like heaven and the other smiles like a
summer day, perfectly logical reasons.
