Copied from a discussion we had in the Annexe yesterday, when the 'Cat was down... thought I'd continue it over here where more people can see it.

Posted - 5/15/2002 6:38:55 PM Not sure whether to put this in the "Personal Wellbeing" section, or here... but as this question touches on culturral and folkloric ideas that have been addressed in numerous ballads, I figgered Mudcat would be as good a context as any.

Twice a year, I participate in something called "The Art Garden" -- structured like a semi-annual literary magazine with theme-based issues... but instead of having the work printed and distributed, writers get up on stage and read their work before a live audience (The piece I did for November 2000 ["Child of the Spirits"] is on the Mudcat's storytellers' Page).

Anyway, the next Art Garden is June 1, the deadline is the 27th, and the theme is "falling in love"... And that got me thinking of all the loving relationships I've been in, and I don't feel like I've "fallen" into any of them. I was there, the other person (or animal, or entity) was there, and the love was there as just part of the equation -- no sense of falling, or getting shot by an arrow, or hit by lightning, or anything.

So I'm kinda stumped. I've never failed to come up with something for the Art Garden for fourteen years, so I doubt I'll let writer's block get me down this time... I just thought I'd "process" the question with the (generally) metaphorically-minded Mudcatters:

So what does falling have to do with love?

Amergin:

Posted - 5/15/2002 6:46:57 PM not sure if this is any help...but what I would do is to write something based on your experiences...take the best part of them and write...and change a few things here and there...it does not have to be anything special...it could just be about sitting at a table...or watching a movie...or just talking.... JenEllen Posted - 5/15/2002 6:54:53 PM Perhaps that is your piece right there? *g*

I agree with you totally. I always equate 'falling' with 'painful'--barked shins, skinned knees... Love isn't painful, not really. For myself, I see it as more of an amnesiac episode. My best friends and dearest loves all have come through usual channels, and then one day you realize just how much you care for them and wonder 'when did this happen?'. I've, to this point in my life, been unable to pinpoint an exact moment of 'falling' in all cases save one. Love doesn't fall, it blossoms.

Keep us updated on your progress, eh? And best of luck, ~JE

MMario

Posted - 5/15/2002 7:08:20 PM So go with that -What *does* falling have to do with love?

"Love doesn't fall - it blossoms" like it JE!

Amergin Posted - 5/15/2002 7:13:29 PM the love may blossom...but the victim can fall....and see stars....i think it means that folks in love can do stupid things...like some one who has hit their noggin too hard...

Alice Posted - 5/15/2002 8:30:35 PM You could take the difference between infatuation, which is what most people are talking about when they say "falling in love" and genuine love, which requires knowing the person well enough to have more realistic and concrete feelings about them. Infatuation happens between people who barely know each other, when people project a fantasy on their love object. Love is deeper, because it is connected to who the person really is, not just a fantasy image of them.

Alice

Mary In Kentucky Posted - 5/15/2002 10:06:34 PM I agree with Alice. Waaaaaaay back when I "fell," we had a term that I thought was very appropriate. I knew immediately that I was "snowed." I resisted for almost a year before I got engaged, then another year before I got married!

Pip Freeman Posted - 5/16/2002 12:02:17 AM When you "fall" for someone you go weak at the knees, your head spins, and you feel faint, and then you may quite literally fall, maybe thats what it's all about?!

Why not do a discourse on all the songs with the theme of falling in love? Falling in love again--Marlene Dietrich What do you get when you fall in love---very funny words, particularly-"what do you get when you kiss a girl, you get enough germs to catch pneumonia, after that she'll never phone ya" Cant help falling in love--Elvis

To mention just a few!!

Pip

Alice Posted - 5/16/2002 12:05:17 AM all together now... "Falling in love with love is falling for make believe...."

Mary in Kentucky Posted - 5/16/2002 12:10:05 AM When I fall in love, it will be forever...

Bat Goddess Posted - 5/16/2002 12:42:32 AM I don't think it's so much "falling" in love as being surprised by love.

Linn

Allie Kiwi Posted - 5/16/2002 2:30:02 AM I think we 'fall' for the fairytale sometimes. Love isn't always about the starbursts etc, but when you expect it to be, you can turn your back on something really special.

Allie

CapriUni: Posted - 5/16/2002 4:59:00 AM Amergin, you wrote:

"but what I would do is to write something based on your experiences...take the best part of them and write..."

That's just it -- I don't have any experience with the "falling" sort of love. I've yet to be in a loving romantic relationship. I have the love of friends, and family, and four-leggeds. But I've never had a "significant other" ... I had a couple crushes when I was in high school, but I was too shy to do anything more than admire from afar. I've had guys insist they were in love with me (when it was unrequited on my part) only to back out at the last minute when I decided that maybe I was being too picky. Other than that, all my relationships have been platonic. ::::Sigh::::

I was getting really down about that fact at the start of this last winter, too, when the topic was first announced. Now that it's spring/summer, I'm feeling a lot better, and rather than depression, all I have is a really big, frustrating case of writers' block!