Can you be practical when you fall in love?

I’ve heard it said that love is a form of insanity. I know it’s like that for me. I tend to be able to think of nothing but my beloved, and I live and die on their every word. When in love, I find it next to impossible to think straight or to make practical decisions. It carries me away and all I want to do is fly with it. The last thing I want to do is be sane and practical. So I’m not.

I wonder if it is like this for everyone? Are there some people who can be in love and yet be practical at the same time? I have the impression that women are more practical at moments of this kind of insanity, but that could just be the kind of women I fell in love with. I knew I wanted to marry my wife the second week after I met her, but she kept me waiting two years before she was sure enough to say yes.

Are you able to maintain a balanced view when in love? Or does your focus narrow to that one thing, causing you to be blissfully unaware of everything else? Do you think there is any gender difference with respect to the influence of love on decision-making power? If so, how would you characterize it?