Romantic love being based on the attraction that members of the opposite sex have for each other may be said to be a chemical reaction. That is due to the power of the sex hormones (Hirsh & Warlord). They feel the romance and the sweetness of one’s partner. Once the couple started to base their relationship to romantic love they tend to exaggerated in a way they will plan to get married. Ideally, they may expect marriage to something that just happens. The couples expect to be carried along with the tide of things into a haven of intimacy…just accidentally. Without difficulty, work, or thought (Gayares).
Issues today are that many marriages fail to bring happiness. According to Quilliam (n.d.), that it is no doubt in many instances because the pair had banked too much on romantic love. In other words, the dominating role of their coming together is the power of sex attraction. Thus, it will lead to the failure of the marriage. On the other hand, a happy marriage is entirely possible without romantic love and more people are getting married for other reasons rather than love now (Quilliam).
In order to have a successful marriage, the couple needs to have the same morals and beliefs. In the top ten reasons for divorce, difference in priorities and expectations was listed as number ten and communication breakdown in relationship was listed as number 2 (only second to marriage infertility). These “difference in priorities and expectations directly relates to the issue of having different principals. Communication breakdown could only be the product of not understanding a spouse’s feelings or intentions which again relates to difference in beliefs. Divorce statistics show that about eighty percent of all marriages end because of “irreconcilable differences.” Irreconcilable differences include conflict of personality, difference of interest and whether there is mutual concern for the emotional needs of each other. Cultural and religious strains are also listed as one of the top ten reasons for listed as number 7. Studies in the U.S. show elevated levels of divorce among interracial couples compared to same race couples. Asian husband and white wife marriages are 60% more likely to divorce than white/white marriages. What differentiate a white/white marriage versus an Asian/white marriage are the dissimilar cultural and religious views they share. Supporting the point when a marriage consists of people with different values, morals and beliefs they are more likely to lead to divorce. Financial stability is another factor that contributes greatly to unhappy and short lived marriages.
It is infatuation that is blind. It sees only what it wants to see and so attributes virtues to one looking in virtue and unselfishness to one that is selfish (Hirsch & Wardlow). But before having an infatuation it starts with first impression, upon the first meeting of a person. First impression usually lasts, and goes a long way on directing the future of relationships. Appearances are basically important and most individual based their affection by the physical features of a person. This affection then leads to having a crush to someone. Where a crush is a burning desire to be with someone whom you find very attractive and extremely special. Thus, having a crush will turn into infatuation. And this infatuation is easily mistaken as love. Most people thought they are in love but actually they are just experiencing infatuation. The infatuation that the person feels will be considered as sincere affection.
Infatuation as sincere affection is commonly mistaken by majority. This sincere affection might lead to love. Someone may think about him/her nonstop, by that it makes someone’s heart beats faster, the feeling of excitement when the person is around and the longing when they are not around. But this is not sincere affection or love. Because when you have been with a person for a while you will notice that they are nowhere near as perfect as you