Obsessive Love

For some, falling in love means losing themselves, and their identity, being completely captured within their lover’s spell

Photo by Gioele Fazzeri on Unsplash

We don’t like to admit it but most of us have stalked another person in our lifetime.

Not crossing that line into criminality, but I’ll admit at 15, I rode my bicycle past the girl I had a crush on 20 or 30 times a day in hopes that she would come outside and I would have an excuse to speak to her.

Most days she didn’t appear. And I felt disappointed and anxious.

The few times she did come out and I was able to have small talk with her, I felt alive, excited, and, frankly aroused.

I was crushed when I found out that she was dating another boy at her High School. And for at least a month I continued to ride my bike over and over around her house.

Why?

It was clear she had no interest in me.

But I was obsessed with her.

I fantasized endlessly about her at night.

And then I developed a crush on another girl. That’s what most teenagers do.

Thankfully, after being rejected romantically, most people learn — or force themselves — to let that person go.