Feelings

The definition of feelings:

emotional or moral sensitivity or a complex and usually strong subjective human response. Although feeling and emotion are sometimes interchangeable, feeling is the more general and neutral, whereas Emotion often implies the presence of excitement or agitation.

I had hoped that by looking at the definition of this word, I may better understand the hows and whys of feelings. Human beings experience both feelings and emotions about a wide range things, our children, family members, a cute bootie walking down the street, a good book or novel or even a sports event. I particularly like the following description:

The capacity of the soul for emotional states; a high degree of susceptibility of emotions or states of sensibility not dependent on the body.

I think what I am really interested in is not so much the definition, but an understanding of how attachments based on feelings develop and how they are maintained over the long haul.

With my child, the answer is easy. He's mine. We are in the beginning of a lifetime of shared experiences. While he is young, he is dependent on me for his very survival. God gave him a cute smile and charming ways, so that I won't toss him out a window when he pisses me off. I will love this kid and eventual man until the end of my days and there is nothing that can change that.

Grown up attachments based on feelings are not as easily defined. People come together for a variety of reasons, shared or common interests, one has something the other needs or desires, sex/lust, financial resources, whatever.

What I'm less clear about is what maintains that attachment once established. I mean, feelings and emotions are like smoke and they are often situationally based. So, what has happened when you spend years getting to know someone, loving them, sharing your life with them, and then suddenly, one partner or the other loses interest? Or when you meet someone for the first time and KNOW that you will/can love them for a lifetime, and you do? What has happened here?

How is it possible that I can be deeply in love with someone for years and they do one or more stupid things and I feel nothing? Or I can meet someone and within a few weeks develop an attachment so deep that it is maintained, even through periods of no contact at all?

Just curious. . .