How can you tell when you are truly In Love?

I should not write this.  I really should not write this.  And this is exactly why I am going to do it.  I am going to write this because this is what I am wondering and pondering and contemplating and this is what is keeping me from my peace and quiet.  I keep trying to write about the kids and our travel plans and our summer activities but when I am all alone in the quiet of my soul, what I really want to know about is TRUE LOVE.  I know that not every couple gets married for "True Love".  Everyone marries or partners for their own purposes and no one should be judged for that.  No one would likely ever outrightly confront someone and say, "hey, are you marrying that person for love or for some other reason?"  Would it even be anyone else's business anyway?  For centuries, people married for convenience or status or pre-arranged as part of a cultural tradition. So what role does Love actually have in our lives anyway?  Is Coupleship Love actually a necessary part of life?  If we are In-Love with someone but decide to partner in life with someone else for other reasons besides love, is that immoral or illegal or in some other way an inappropriate act?  Many people believe that Homosexuality is wrong and so those who partner together who are gay often have to deal with the pressures of society where they may be looked upon as deviant.  Is it also deviant to partner NOT for love?  Or even to partner with someone who you do Love but is not your True Love?  Which begs the question, how do you know who is your True Love? 

Ultimately, Partnerships and marriages have a purpose and people come together to achieve mutual goals.  For this reason we often search for a mate using some tried and true criteria such as shared interests, common cultural backgrounds and similar educational experiences or work experiences.

(This article was begun and then the computer crashed.  When I rebooted, I thought this was lost and so I created an entierly new entry.  I am publishing the incomplete article.  Sorry it was never finished)

Lilac