Most states in the union have laws against acting under the influence. But sometimes we are under the influence in ways which we neglect to count. Drugs and alcohol are easy enough to understand and count because of the physical changes they havoc on our nervous system and physiology. But there are other means of being under the influence that we need to consider perhaps just as vehemently.
Love and infatuation produce radical changes in the physiology of the human being. Science has confirmed that a rush of chemicals flood our brains when we are infatuated or in love with someone. Under the influence of love or infatuation we behave differently, do things differently, see the world differently than we would otherwise. Our friends, who have monitored us and are familiar with our composure and temperament know immediately when we have met someone with whom we have become enchanted or they know, too, when we have "gotten some."
They say "love is many-splendored thing" and this we only know when we are in the throws of its splendor, wrapped up as we are in our intended. As wonderful as the splendors of love are they can have damaging effects when we are under its influence. We lavish our intended with gifts that devastate our bank accounts, we perform tasks we otherwise would not attempt, we allow ourselves into situations we might otherwise never entertain. In otherwords, in love, under the influence, we step out of ourselves for the sake of wooing someone. We take leave of our senses and indulge our desire which can have deleterious effects on our lives. Lucetta says to her mistress, Julia, in Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona:
"I do not seek to quench your love's hot fire;
But qualify the fire's extreme rage,
Lest it should burn above the bounds of reason."
Love and infatuation produce radical changes in the physiology of the human being. Science has confirmed that a rush of chemicals flood our brains when we are infatuated or in love with someone. Under the influence of love or infatuation we behave differently, do things differently, see the world differently than we would otherwise. Our friends, who have monitored us and are familiar with our composure and temperament know immediately when we have met someone with whom we have become enchanted or they know, too, when we have "gotten some."They say "love is many-splendored thing" and this we only know when we are in the throws of its splendor, wrapped up as we are in our intended. As wonderful as the splendors of love are they can have damaging effects when we are under its influence. We lavish our intended with gifts that devastate our bank accounts, we perform tasks we otherwise would not attempt, we allow ourselves into situations we might otherwise never entertain. In otherwords, in love, under the influence, we step out of ourselves for the sake of wooing someone. We take leave of our senses and indulge our desire which can have deleterious effects on our lives. Lucetta says to her mistress, Julia, in Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona: "I do not seek to quench your love's hot fire;
But qualify the fire's extreme rage,
Lest it should burn above the bounds of reason."
The maidservant was trying to tell her mistress to calm down and toss a little reason into all that passion she was mustering up over Proteus, her intended. Poor girl was duly under the influence-she was asking her maid for counsel on matters of love! Just like a good cup of coffee and some nap time can mitigate the influence of alcohol so too can some good old fashion reason quench the fires of infatuation and love so that we can keep our dignity (and bank accounts) in tact. Fall in love, be infatuated but bring your reason and temperance along with you lest you find yourself guilty of operating under the influence!
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