Obsession?

My wife called the other day to tell me that my 3 year old son could think of nothing but the Christmas candy (chocolate!) she had recently purchased. He could not eat, sleep or play, but was following her around, continually asking when he could have some of the candy. While we were talking, I could hear him in the background saying, "Can I have some now?" We had a good laugh over it, poor little guy.

I got to thinking about that experience on my flight home that night, about how my son was basically obsessed with the Christmas candy. I began wondering why people have the capacity to obsess over things. I mean, why would God make us that way, knowing that we often obsess over unimportant things (like chocolate)? What possible good could come from this human trait?

My thoughts then went to when I fell in love with my wife. I was basically obsessed with her for a time, all I could think of was her, and everything in life changed. There was a period of time when I ate less, slept less and basically followed her around all day, just wanting to be with her. It was this time together which basically laid the foundation for our relationship. We got to know each other more in six months than I know any other person on earth, and it was my obsession for her that motivated me to know her. Now, the obsession was short lived, it would be abnormal for it to continue forever, and I should not feel guilty for this, or try to recreate that time in our relationship. It was a stage in the normal progression of relationships. We still love each other very much, and our thoughts revolve around each other, but that all consuming nature of that first obsession has gone.

The same thing happened to me when I first met God. He was all I could think about for a short time. I could not put down the Bible, and my thoughts were consumed with who God was, and what that meant for my life. I've tried to re-create that time of life, that closeness, but I just can't, and I'm thinking that I shouldn't try anymore. I mean, its not that I'm giving up on God, rather, I feel like I need to start putting into practice what He has taught me, looking to other people rather than just trying to get closer to God. Our relationship has advanced past the obsession phase, just like the relationship with my wife.

Thinking through this has made some sense out of our tendency to obsess. Although it can be bad (like an addition to drugs) it has purpose in life. How would we fall in love without obsession?