Sometimes we believe that love is built over time, that it’s a matter of patience and effort. But the other day, in the midst of euphoria, I went out driven by an energy that made me feel invincible. I ate, drank, and sought what many call “living.” That’s when I met a younger woman who told me she’d been married for 14 years and felt invisible, ignored. She said I was the first person to give her attention in the last 10 years. Both of us were so lost in alcohol that we ended up having an affair, and in a few hours, I experienced more love than in many other relationships.

It’s strange how euphoria can distort our perception. In that moment, I felt more connected to that person than in many relationships that were built over time.