LtS, how do you mean the outcomes are the same? I've had infatuations before that had nothing to do with love and an entirely different outcome than being in love with someone. Just wondering.

CapriUni, no problem, I am back to tai chi, etc. to keep my center of gravity lower AND Rog has wired up the TV and gotten rid of the cable I tripped on!*bg* Congratulations on your successful reading at the Art Garden. I am not surprised it went well..it is a good piece. Isn't it fun to read your own stuff aloud to an appreciative audience? You should come into Paltalk sometime and read it for us. We used to do poetry sessions once in awhile and included short essays, etc.

I believe that being in love, over a certain amount of time can bring emotional well-being. I am not as healthy being apart from Rog as I am when he is nearby. Spaw has mentioned how he just doesn't get along as well when Karen is gone. In the beginning, when we first met, I was pretty high on love, possiblities, etc., but it has been with time that I have calmed down and we've built a foundation of lifetime love. I believe it is the emotions which cause the hormonal changes and that those can also be different over time.

In TCM, Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is taught (for over 2,000 years) that dis-ease begins with our emotions, which, in turn, can effect us physically, sometimes in a very serious way. Accupuncture, herbs, etc. are used to treat the organs, muscles, etc. which are effected, but a really good practioner will also work with the person and their emotional stability. I had this brought home to me in a vivid way earlier this year. I barely had a voice, my throat was so constricted, my emotions were high and on edge with Rog already at a new job in another state and our househunting causing beaucoup stress. I had a terrible time breathing whenever I tried to be active or speak, even with the tether of O2. Went to the regular doc, who listened to everything, checked all of the iffy spots and told me there was nothing wrong, no fluid in the lungs, nada. Went to the accupuncturist who started working with me on emotions, using needles and herbs to help me calm down and refocus and, eventually, I was able to get along better. To put it in allopathic terms, I had stress-induced ashma, kind of, but in TCM it was a symptom of high emotions with which I needed help.

Hope I made that clear enough to make the connection to some of the points others have brought up. Thanks CU for this thread. It has been very interesting.

kat