Sure, there are those who enjoy programming from a purely intellectual point of view just as their are mathematicians who focus on pure mathematics. It can be rewarding in and of itself.

But I still reserve love for relationships. I don't believe you have to love programming to be good at it, to enjoy it, or to do it properly. It's a technical skill, there is plenty of research to do, etc: but it is something you do because you choose to.

Framed in this perspective, when you are not satisfied with programming, it is not because you are, "falling out of love." It is something else: the work, the process, the tools, the project: something is not giving you a sense of satisfaction, reward, etc. Not enjoying it is not a moral failure or a breakup. It's because the tools are crap, you don't believe in the project, or you simply enjoy programming different things than what you are being paid to develop.

No need to go off into the woods with these romantic visions of becoming a cabinet maker in a small commune.

If you want to continue to enjoy programming you have to compartmentalize your feelings, manage it, and nurture it like a skill for the long term.

Sure, I remember programming on the Amiga 500 in the late 80s. It was neat. Fun. But also severely limiting, frustrating, and lonely. It took a lot of work to get machines from that era to do basic things we take for granted today.

The first programming language I learned was not the first language I used professionally. The first language I used on the job is not the language I use today. The technology changes. Things develop and programming today is a lot more open, free, and accessible than it was when I was growing up!

If you fall in love with programming and it doesn't reciprocate those feelings for you, you'll be waiting around forever. You may end up frustrated or hurt. Annoyed even. Jealous when it seems like it comes more naturally to others!