If we think about love and romance long enough, many of us will come across Romeo and Juliet, old Will Shakespeare’s tome about two star-crossed lovers who killed themselves before their acne had a chance to clear.
While I am a romantic and float emotionally on the play’s poetic protestations of love, I’ve never liked suicide — especially by young people. But then, as George Bernard Shaw said, youth is wasted on those types.
When I think of romance, I don’t think of the passions of children and, oddly enough, I don’t associate suicide with love.
For me, love is not infatuation, it is deep and lasting. It is nurtured over time.
Now, you may be thinking, oh yeah. what about that hot fling I had that one summer? That was lust, and it has its fine points too, but today I’m talking about love — enduring love — specifically love as we age.
Here’s where I insert a quote about love. Think I’m going with Shakespeare? Even better, Winnie-the-Pooh.
“If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you.” — A. A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
Oh, sure, it’s a stuffed bear talking to a little boy, but, wow, could I ever tell my wife anything that expresses my love for her any better than that?
Not onboard? Maybe you never knew the true love of having a teddy bear.
You have to understand that love is everywhere — even in middle earth.
“I would rather spend one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone.”- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lorn of the Rings
Love often finds us — even when we are not looking. In fact, looking for love may lead to mistakes.
A woman told me her father-in-law moved to a retirement community in his eighties and was besieged by widows. He had money, a car, and could still drive, so he was a catch.
It wasn’t long before he had married a younger woman. Because they were polar opposites, it wasn’t long before they were divorced. A year later, he was paired with a bridge partner more his age. A friendship built over time, which lead to romance. They were happily married for the last 15 years of his life.
“True love is eternal, infinite and always like itself. It’s always equal and pure. Without violent demonstrations: It is seen with white hairs and is always young at heart.”-Honore de Balzac
My wife and I each had been through two failed marriages when we met. Neither of us wanted a third strike against us. However, love has a way and we will be married 20 years this May.
“Love is the voice under all silences, the hope which has no opposite in fear; the strength so strong mere force is feebleness: the truth more first than sun, more last than star.”-e. e. cummings
Happy Valentine’s to all you romantics — no matter what day it is.