Falling Head over Heels: A Crazy and Wonderful Somersault in Life...

And you would be right.

But there’s more to this expression. 

Which I became interested in since I had experienced this exact feeling in my not too distant past.

See, I wanted to understand more about it. 

Like, where did this idea come from? 

As I did my research, I found “head over heels” was first used in the 17th century.

And I got to thinking, “What the hell happened in the 17th century that would spawn this expression?”

I know it wasn’t Romeo and Juliet.

That was the 14th century.

As I read more about that period of time there wasn’t really much that stood out that fit that expression.

Until I noticed a remarkable discovery by Galileo.

Huh?

Stay with me on this...

Galileo was the first astronomer to observe the rings on Saturn. 

Hang in there...there’s a method to my madness...

See, one of the main definitions of “head over heels” is “to turn a somersault,"  both literally and figuratively.

I mean, come on! Wouldn’t you “turn a somersault” if you were the first one to observe the rings of Saturn?!

Well, I think Galileo was probably just as giddy as a highschool freshman falling in love with that girl in the front row, right?

I mean Galileo being an astronomer, couldn’t you see him running around anxiously telling his colleagues about his discovery?!

You know, excitedly inviting them to come look through his telescope and behold the beauty of those rings around Saturn? 

Well, I’m quite sure he was head over heels.

But here’s the thing:

How long would this feeling last? 

Even for the enormously spectacular sight like those rings, right?

Well, I thought about it when a few months after our relationship ended, I was standing in line at a cafe and I’ll be damned if I didn’t still feel head over heels about this woman. 

I thought to myself, “What the hell is this?”

Then I got to thinking about Galileo.

I bet after his initial euphoria of seeing those rings, he too went about his life and went on to do other things, 

But, I’m quite sure he left his telescope pointed out that window into the heavens so that every once in a while he could walk over and look in wonder at those rings.

Right? 

Because that feeling of your body, mind, and soul doing a somersault was unbelievably intoxicating. 

And I’ll  bet you a bag of silver coins he went head over heels each time he saw Saturn and those rings. 

I don’t think that’s really much different than when I fell head over heels in love with this woman. 

I can look back through my own memory telescope and recall that very sensation. 

But, unfortunately our relationship ended and I did a different kind of somersault. 

You know, the kind like when you’re hiking up towards the peak of a snowy mountain and you miss your footing on a ledge. 

And you find yourself fucking rolling down the mountainside as your body is beaten and battered by various rock outcroppings and you’re praying to God you don’t die. 

Yep.

That kind of unfortunate somersault. 

And at first you go through a host of emotions from top to bottom waking up with the ever present question of, “What the hell happened?"

But you know, I’ve done quite a bit of work on myself spiritually and when I dusted myself off and confronted and owned what happened, I was okay. 

But now I was about to get my coffee and I’ll be damned if I still wasn’t feeling head over heals about this gal. 

See, it seems to me if I was head over heels first, you know, like the first time Galileo saw those beautiful rings around Saturn, you never lose that. 

Because it was your head and your heels. 

And damn if it wasn’t the most wonderful feeling ever. 

And no meteor shower or critic or some raised eyebrow from the Pope could ever take away what Galileo felt that day.

And no amount of emotional upset, misunderstanding, or made-for-TV drama could take away my having fell head over heels, see?

I mean that was my head...and my heels!

To be honest, my heart still does a somersault when I think about her and the love that we shared. 

And when you are free enough to still feel this way even though things didn't work out, well then I think I am a lot like Galileo. 

I can look at those rings any time I choose and feel my heart pound, my adrenaline spike, and yes, even feel giddy.

And really, how lucky am I that I can still look back through my telescope like it was the first day when I knew that I had fallen in love with her. 

Well...maybe not exactly like Galileo. 

But definitely head over heels. 

You can find out more about my adventures through my books, articles, and videos at www.daveworthen.com