Devotion as Ongoing Choice, Not Initial Feeling

Mirabai's devotion to Krishna wasn't a single conversion experience but a lifelong practice of choosing presence, longing, and service daily. This challenges the modern myth that love is primarily a feeling—that we 'fall' into relationships and should 'fall out' when the chemistry fades. Attachment research shows that secure attachment involves choosing your partner repeatedly, especially through conflict and boredom when initial attraction has waned. The Devotion as Choice concept suggests that in partner selection and relationship development, we're actually choosing our attachment figure based on consistent behavior and alignment, not just emotional intensity. This framework helps anxious people who mistake the obsessive early-relationship stage for true love, and avoidant people who flee when intensity decreases. When entering or deepening partnership, ask: Can I choose this person tomorrow, and the next day, even when they frustrate me? Is this commitment a practice I'm willing to cultivate?