The mystery surrounding romantic love and enchantment has puzzled generations ever since time began. Why do we fall in love? What if we fall out of love? How do we know when we have found that special someone? What if love eludes us? Can we make someone fall in love with us? So what do we really know about falling in love? In fact, not very much. We all think we know what love is, ask anyone and they will say they do. But thinking it over, perhaps it is not so simple.

Maybe it is easier to recognise the love a mother has for her child; the son for a father; the teacher for his pupils; but what is the drive underlying the romantic love which bursts forth between two people and transforms them into a loving couple?

What is absolutely certain is that love cannot be pinned down, it cannot be bottled and sold, but there are ways that we can begin to comprehend the magic of love.

Men and women the world over struggle to understand just what love is, and once it is found the search goes on, for a lifetime, to find ways to make love last. Love plays a larger part in everyone’s life than you can possibly imagine, but it brings all kinds of disturbing contradictions with it. How is it that we can fall in love with someone who is cruel, has a drug or alcohol problem, or is violent? Or, indeed, suddenly find we have fallen out of love with the very person we perceived as kind, loving and gentle?

How can we tell the difference between love and lust? This is where some couples find themselves at odds, and the words ‘I love you’ from one person to another may mean something quite different to each of them. Moreover, it can be hard to be on the receiving end of love which is circumscribed by jealousy or control. Cruel things can be done in the name of love.

Wise men say that to fall in love is a kind of madness, and so when under the spell we are guilty of behaving in a manner which is out of character we try to excuse it by saying, ‘I have fallen madly in love.’ It is a common belief that there is a degree of derangement when the heart overrules the head. We can become confused in the maze of love. Certainly love affairs which begin in a light-hearted way can easily cross the line and marriages crumble so that children have to cope with warring parents..The cry ‘I never meant to hurt anybody’ cannot unfortunately alleviate the pain which is brought about..

Some people seem to attract more than their fair share of love. How do they do this? What is their secret? The more love there is surrounding someone, the more love there seems to be on offer. But, the brutal truth is that the harder we try to be loved, the less likely we are to achieve this desirable position. It is not just a question of physical attraction, although this may play a part, a great many other factors come into it. This is one of the reasons why it is so hard to discover what makes up the secret ingredient.

There seem to be more questions than answers ... so Lovers Corner includes articles dedicated to the theme of romantic love. If you are head over heels in love for the first time, if you are struggling with a relationship which has turned sour, embarking on a new relationship, or if you cannot find love, then this section of familyonwards is dedicated to you.