Have you ever asked yourself – is love at first sight real? We’ve all seen this happen in movies, but you might be surprised this also happens in reality.
It’s practically every single girl’s dream that she will walk into an establishment someday, lock eyes with a handsome stranger, and will immediately fall head over heels in love. You can’t deny that it’s a lovely thought to think that the idea of love at first sight is absolutely true.
But is love at first sight real, or is it just another Hollywood concept we were led to believe? Plenty of people argue that love at first sight just isn’t real. However, as you keep reading this feature, you might believe differently.
If you’ve always been the romantic and you want to believe that this concept is very much real, there are concrete signs of love at first sight to prove this is the case. [Read: Science of attraction: 17 things that are far more sexy than looks]
Is love at first sight real?
Many people dismiss this kind of love as being purely fantasy, but they may have never felt it themselves. Because if they had, then they would know for sure that love at first sight certainly does exist. Just ask anybody who has experienced this phenomenon.
If you’ve never experienced this remarkable feeling, on the other hand, it’s easy to be cynical about it. We all want to think that it’s just not possible to fall for someone based on first impression alone, but it does happen. Plato explained love at first sight in terms of the heavens.
He stated that when your soul descends from heaven to earth, it is split into two. Therefore, the other half of your soul needs to find its other half. So when you finally do find your missing half, you feel an immediate connection with that person.
In other words, when you come across your soulmate and better half, this is one of the circumstances where one can experience love at first sight. What you have is beyond worlds, so it’s only natural to feel a connection even by just that first glance. [Read: Different types of attraction: Which is most vital for true love?]
Real life stories that prove love at first sight is real
“I saw my wife at a religious convention when I was only 19 years old. She was cute as a button. I pointed her out and leaned in and whispered to my friend, ‘I’m going to marry that girl.’ I asked her out and six months later we were married. We’ve been married 40 years and going strong!” –Paul, 59 [Read: Love at first sight – The real truth behind it]
“I met my wife at a bus stop. She had just moved to town and was sitting with some of my close friends at a downtown bus stop. She had actually just agreed to go on a date with one of them to a party that night. She was so beautiful and so funny I knew in my gut I had just met my soulmate. We talked all night at the party, and I begged and begged for her to leave the party with me instead of my friend. She reluctantly agreed, but only if I called her mother to ask permission to walk her home. Her mother said yes, and we’ve been together ever since. That was 50 years ago, by the way.” –Vincenzo, 68
“I saw my husband walking by a huge tourist attraction where we live. I was struck by how sexy he was so I introduced myself. I knew he was checking me out. We were both playing hard to get, but something about that first meeting made my stomach flip. By the end of that day, he told me he was going to marry me and I was going to have his children. I told him, ‘you’ve got the wrong girl!’ Apparently, he didn’t because one year later we were married. We’ve been together 35 years now and have two children. He called it from the start!” –Eve, 54 [Read: The 12 rules of attraction, as explained by science]
“I saw my wife at church on Sunday and desperately asked around to see if anyone knew who she was. I had a blind date set up, which ended up being ‘chaperoned’ by two elderly women. The date was so awkward and terrible, but I was so taken with how classy this girl was that I couldn’t give up on her. I tried for years to call and e-mail her to set up another date, but she’d obviously had a terrible time. It took three years, but eventually she said yes to a date. We’ve been married 10 years now!” –Bryan, 29
“I met my wife in 1988 at the movies. We were seeing Rain Man, and she was sitting with her girlfriend in front of me and my brother. By the end, I couldn’t even tell you what the movie was about because I spent the whole film watching her. I was captivated. She exuded kindness and personality. I was so nervous when the movie ended that I tapped her on the shoulder and managed to squeak out, ‘I don’t have a lot of time to chat, but I couldn’t leave without saying hello. Maybe we could have dinner sometime?’ She gave me a big, welcoming smile and said ‘sure!’ We went on our first date later that week and have been married for 28 years now. Best movie ever!” -Dan, 47 [Read: How men fall in love – 7 stages of love]
“I met my husband at a bar. Not exactly romantic, I know. He came up to say hello and buy me a drink. I instantly recognized him. We had gone to high school together 10 years earlier! In fact, I couldn’t stand him. I was a geek and he was the popular guy. Everybody loved him, so I vowed that I wouldn’t give him the time of day. This all went out the window, of course, when he came up and asked me out. Whenever we tell the story to people, he always says as soon as he saw me he could feel it in his bones – it was love at first sight!” -Carolyn, 45
“I met my little wife outside of a corner store. There were what we called greasers who used to hang out there, and I was one of them. May was so innocent, and I felt just the opposite. She was a good girl, training to be a nun. I put on my best charms to try and convince her to leave the Convent and move to Canada with me. It worked. We’ve been married 70 years.” –Edward, 87
10 big signs of love at first sight
It might be a little confusing to decipher love at first sight from lust. But if you’re curious as to what love at first sight feels like, take note of the following signs. These symptoms of the love at first sight are nearly impossible to miss.
1. Your stomach drops
When you set eyes on someone and it’s love at first sight, your adrenaline will immediately start pumping through your veins. When adrenaline is released, that feeling of butterflies in the pit of your stomach is the result. And if it’s really love at first sight, these will be some of the most powerful butterflies you’ll ever feel in your life.
This is because your emotions are deeply connected to the rest of your body. It’s why when you’re heartbroken, you feel physically ill as well – and the same goes for love at first sight! [Read: How to know if you are truly in love]
2. You get really nervous
Nervousness usually comes from having a big event, presentation, or announcement to make. You get butterflies, sweat, and shake at the thought of going through with whatever it is you have to do. When you experience love at first sight, you will probably get really nervous for virtually no reason.
When just setting eyes on a person makes you sweat bullets and stutter your words in a nervous wreck, it’s one of the huge signs of love at first sight. You feel so nauseous that you forget how to speak or behave accordingly. That’s because this person hit you harder than expected! [Read: How not to be nervous: 18 calm ways to eliminate nerves instantly]
3. You feel like you’ve met them before
When you feel that you’ve almost instantly made an immense connection with someone, despite only having met them recently, it could be love at first sight. You will feel as though you’ve known them for years when you may have only met them that night!
You won’t look at this person like they’re a stranger, but rather that they’re an old friend whom you haven’t seen in a while. Your soul recognizes theirs right from the beginning, and that’s why they feel so familiar. So if you’re asking, is love at first sight real, it’s all about how much you recognize them initially. [Read: Love chemistry and sparks in love]
4. You feel an intense desire to talk to them
Not only do you feel that you know who this person is deep down, but you’ll also feel compelled to go talk to them. This can be especially noticeable if you’re usually a quiet, shy person who never goes up to a strange person and introduces yourself.
You will feel an almost subconscious pull toward them if it’s love at first sight. You can’t pinpoint the reason behind it, but you feel drawn to be near them and talk to them. This is one of the signs of love at first sight you can’t ignore. [Read: How to talk to your crush and make them fall for you]
5. They’re not your usual type
Everybody has a “type,” even if we don’t like to admit it. If you experience love at first sight, you may be surprised to find that this person is the furthest thing from your usual type. Maybe you tend to go for the intellectual type, yet they’re the complete opposite.
We can’t always control who we fall for but if you’re asking the question, is love at first sight real, watch how you fall for someone that is the opposite of who you tend to fall for. That speaks volumes for love at first sight.
You will not only be pulled toward them by a seemingly invisible force, but you will be really confused as to why, since they’re not the type of person you usually go for. [Read: 12 bad girl traits every guy wants in his girl]
6. You can’t stop thinking about them
If you’ve experienced love at first sight, your mind will constantly wander to their face, their voice, and when you might talk to or see them next. It’ll feel as though you’re a teenager experiencing a first crush.
You won’t be able to think of anything but them for days and maybe even weeks. If your love was strong enough, you might never forget them at all. Having uncontrollable thoughts about them is one of the signs of love at first sight you shouldn’t ignore. [Read: How to know when you’re in love: 50 signs you can’t ignore]
7. You genuinely want to know about their life
Why else would you want to keep knowing about someone’s life? It’s because you’re in love with them! You want to know every detail about their life because you want to know them better and connect deeper. With this kind of love, it’s not necessarily a sexual attraction right from the get-go, although this could be wrapped into your feelings.
Whether it’s knowing about their childhood, hobbies, or upbringing, these are all things that matter to you. This kind of love touches you deeply, making you feel the need to get to know them on a much deeper level. [Read: 60 get to know you questions for a new romance]
8. You find them *really* attractive
Just because physical attraction isn’t the main thing you feel for this person when it’s love at first sight, it’s still something that you feel with intensity. The difference is that it’s not an overwhelming attraction that makes you want to rip off their clothes and have your way with them.
This kind of physical attraction makes you appreciate everything about the way they look. You find them sexy, cute, hot, and beautiful all in one. This is can also be a classic case of becoming so attracted to their personality that their looks seem to simply follow suit.
9. You immediately picture yourself with them
If it’s really love at first sight, you’ll most likely start picturing yourself in a relationship with them. Most of the time, this can take a little getting to know them before you automatically feel as though you could really be with them for the long haul.
You find yourself daydreaming even on scenarios that aren’t likely to happen, and that’s one of the signs of love at first sight. You daydream about dating them, being with them, buying a house with them, and maybe even starting a family. [Read: 19 clear signs you are ready for a serious relationship]
10. You feel that you love them
Okay, so love is a huge word, and you should only say the big L word if you genuinely mean it. Nobody can tell you whom you do or don’t love. And if you experience love at first sight, you just *know* that it’s love.
You won’t feel any doubt whatsoever about how you feel for this person, even though you just met them. You’re sure of this person, and it’s unlike anything you’ve felt before. That’s how you know it’s love at first sight.
[Read: 19 sure signs of falling in love to watch out for]
So, is love at first sight real?
Based on the signs above, love at first sight is real, especially if you’ve experienced it for yourself. It’s one of the most magical and extraordinary feelings in the world.
For those of you who are skeptics about love at first sight, don’t be. These signs will help you see that this remarkable feeling is not at all fiction.
