Love is on my mind today.
And what better cause is there to write about? Throughot history, it seems that every artist is trying to figure love out. The Beatles are singing about how it's all you need, The J. Giles Band, how it stinks, and Streisand, how it's fresh as the morning air.
But my favorite 'love quote' happened in the film, The Wedding Crashers, when Owen Wilson shared his idea of the perfect wedding toast.
"True love is the soul's recognition of its counterpoint in another."
The irony - in light of these words, their shameless depth - was that John Beckwith, played sensitively and humorously by Wilson, began the story as a single, shallow individual who sleeps around, avoiding intimacy, yet ends up smitten by Claire Cleary, the one girl he desires to be with. His soulmate.
If you've had the pleasure of seeing the movie, or plan to watch it again from a new angle (recommended), note how cleverly this quote - and its meaning - embeds itself in John's relationship with the girl he loves.
Unlike Claire's demeaning fiance, Zach, who 'needs a wife not a martyr' the unlikely hero, Beckwith, captures Claire's heart by bringing out the best parts of her - his soul reflecting hers.
In a quiet moment, seated at the front steps, she confesses that her family is 'full of shit'. John counters with a compliment, offers her hope. 'I love your family, the little old grandmother who looks really sweet but she's really mean.'
He makes Claire laugh, lightens her load for the moment. Now, perhaps the skeptics, (and the haters) would say he's telling her what she wants to hear, just to charm her. But I'm inclined to think that John is a character drawn with a softer brush - he's probably not thinking too hard or long about what her family is truly like. And neither is she. He's simply giving the girl he loves a dose of what she needs. That love is recognized, and reflected back to him.
When I think about love, that's what comes to mind. Inspiring someone, drawing out their best qualities, and having them reflected back at you.
Now it's your turn. What does love mean to you?
Amy
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I find it interesting that you wrote about this today, and in that particular way. I have been pondering "true love" lately (why, I don't know) and I think maybe finally realizing that love (and friendship, for that matter) is not a matter of whether a particular person is good or not in general, but good or not for each individual. We try to surround ourselves with people who "get" us, who ...you're right...draw out our best qualities and inspire us to strive to do better and be better. And who also think we're the shit, just as we are :-).
ReplyDeleteWhen we have people in our lives who don't do that? Who constantly question our moral fiber (when we may have not have a problem with it prior), never hand out praise or show interest; Whether it be a family member or a friend, it truly is like a pounding hammer that gets heavier and eventually shatters the life spark in your eyes.
I didn't meant to sound like such a downer, but every coin has a flip side, right? I know someone who has been married for a very long time to a not-so-wonderful person who has not treated her with love and respect for most of their marriage. I often wonder how explosively she would bloom if loved justly.
There is only one word for love in the English language. For me, it is difficult to dissect. But at the moment, love for me is a reason to like Monday mornings. It is strong tea. It is bad movies. It is forgotten change on my nightstand. It is a warm kiss in a cold car. It is marmalade. It is a puzzle slowly taking shape.
ReplyDeleteI spent four years with the wrong person. I am only four months with my current person and for the first time in my life, I feel truly connected to another human being. I feel happy and beautiful and each day the sceptic within recedes a little more.
I know love exists, what I want to know now is if love endures. Oooh, can't wait to find out... :)
I find myself loving different people at different times for different circumstances.
ReplyDeleteIf there is a particular need , being there for someone with a kind word or sympathetic
listening ear means love to me.I feel we learn about the true meaning of love from God
in 1Corinthians Ch 13 verse 1-7. We know that this is not easy to do all the time but it gives one a true spiritual reference point
to remind us of what Paul in this epistle
defines the true meaning of Love. When you are loving someone I think there is a wonderful feeling in your heart that you have
and you feel illuminated and complete. With true love nothing is too difficult,you will
indeed go the mile and if things become difficult there is always another day the sun
comes out for you and you can start over again. For me loving my children and grandchild was INSTANT love.Dad and I are still in love 42 and a half years later. P.S.
everybody that knew Willy (your beautiful golden retreiver ) loved him