Reading many books and novels, I have come across a type of love that you may find hard to witness in our current time. It is that love that springs from sharing dangers and harrowing experiences together, a kind of love that is so wonderful that it is painful. I will give you an example of what I mean. I was recently reminded of the movie Stardust, based on a novel by Neil Gaiman. In the movie, there is a scene where the girl confesses her feelings to the boy she loves:
"Yes I know that love is unconditional. But I also know that it can be unpredictable, unexpected, uncontrollable, unbearable, and strangely easy to mistake for loathing. What I am trying to say Tristan, is that I think I love you. My heart... it feels like my chest can barely contain it, like it doesn't belong to me anymore. It belongs to you, and if you wanted it I would wish for nothing else in exchange; no gifts, no goods, no demonstrations of devotion. Nothing but knowing you love me too. Just your heart in exchange for mine."
It has been a while since I had heard such a touching confession. And it is that type of love that I am talking about, the type of love that is fully given without pause, despite knowing the person for less than a week. Less than a week! A fairy tale love is what it sounds like, but it is that type of love that any romantic may hope for. Another example that comes to the forefront of my thoughts is from a book I am currently rereading. In the fantasy novel, after being rescued by an adopted kitchen boy, a princess of a duke, falls helplessly in love with the boy. A few excerpts:
"She took a long breath, then softly added, 'That's why I think I love you. You could never be false with anyone. Least of all with yourself.'
She came softly into his arms, holding him tightly her face resting on his shoulder. 'Never, Pug. I could never care for another.'"
Skip forward most of the book, where a close friend talks about her after she finds out Pug has been captured by enemy forces and presumed dead:
"Roland looked at the Princess, seventeen years old just this last Midsummer's Day. No longer a petulant little girl given to outbursts of temper, she was changing into a beautiful young woman of thoughtful introspection. Few in the castle were unaware of the many nights' sobbing that issued from Carline's suite after news of Pug had reached the castle. After nearly a week of solitude, Carline had emerged a changed person, more subdued, less willful. There was little outward to show how Carline felt, but Roland knew she carried a scar."
Two years was the rough time difference between the first excerpt and the second, two years she spent harboring her love, a love that still remains, because that love would turn her into the woman she will become.
It was that unconditional love, that seeded and budded during such harrowing times that you will be hard pressed to find in society anymore, where much of society's youth have many dalliances and trysts that are for the most part meaningless. Harsh words, but it's true. And if love develops, it is not the love that is created in such a pure fashion, a bond that is neigh unbreakable. Oh sure, love exists in many wondrous forms, and can rival the love that I talk about, but what kind is it? Is it a connection between two people that cannot be explained? Or is it because the couple has such mutual interests that love is formed from that? Maybe, but it is not the same. There are too many people who do not know true love and the evidence of this ever present in society, with divorces, cheating spouses, broken families, etc.
Another quote I think will help close out this entry:
"There are many ways to love someone. Sometimes we want love too much, we're not too choosy about who we love. Other times we make love such a pure and noble thing, no poor human can ever meet our vision. But for the most part, love is a recognition, an opportunity to say, "There is something about you I cherish.' It doesn't entail marriage, or even physical love. There's love of parents, love of city or nation, love of life, and love of people. All different, all love."
People need to read more fantasy novels and understand what love really is, or see what love can be, because the love I read about, is amazing.
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1 comment:
I think you must be careful to not entirely base your thoughts about love on the fantasy novels because many times I feel that books and movies for that matter give the perception that "true" love is perfect and that there should never be any problems. But I do agree that many people in this world do not understand love well enough because of the amount of divorces we see in this world and the amount of promiscuous meaningless relationships. I believe that "true" love is unconditional and that there will be very very hard times in which you must work through but that love will always prevail and be good. I think we agree for the most part I just felt compelled to comment and I may have rambled a bit on my comment. Good seeing you over the break!
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