I was recently
challenged to write a short story after I commented that most Indian love
stories are crap and anyone could churn out. Needless to say, it was an off the
cuff remark and by anyone I did not mean me, I meant accomplished writers. But
I decided what the heck, I have time on my hand so why not give it a shot, two
lines and I gave up but not before trying to conjure up a scenario and thinking
what should love be like in a love story because I found my most love stories
to be shallow. So I started thinking ---
How is it that so
much literature and inspiration are drawn from 'Love' but not a single
definition seems to suit it perfectly. Perhaps, love like life can be easily
understood but not easily defined. To be clear I am talking about romantic
love, not love between a mother and a son, or indeed even between two friends.
I am talking about
love which would make you want to run and keep running to catch that single a glimpse of a person, love which would make you want to stop at nothing to
achieve it, the obsession combined with a passion which would make you cross
every line you have ever known, something which will change something within
you so you are no longer you.
I have gone through
different definitions of love at different points in life, although I never
believed in love at first sight because it made no sense, it would mean falling
in love with someone's appearance and that could not be too deep.
I believed love was
when two people completed each other, one's strength complemented other's or
one's weakness was no longer an issue because they fit like a jigsaw puzzle,
one had what others coveted.
I believed maybe
love was a true and perfect match of two people where one could be in perfect
silence and still enjoy other's company over a cup of coffee, maybe it's about
having unending admiration for someone,
I believed maybe the lover was perfect companionship someone with whom you can do the things which
you always wanted to from watching movies to hiking, to taking over a world.
Maybe someone with
whom you enjoy spending time and you would never trade a moment in with someone
else,
Maybe love doesn't
exist we underestimate the influence books and movies have had on us, maybe
love doesn't exist in any sense, it's something made up then
I circled back to
believe in love which would make you go crazy for someone in a way you could
see or imagine them doing any wrong in circumstance, where you are so smitten
by someone that you want to know and take over every single thought that enters
their mind and be part of every single breath that they take.
I think I see and
understand now, what movies and literature have long been claiming, it is so
difficult to imagine and justify the actions of irrationality, but the truth is
you are absolutely irrational when in love. In your current state of mind, if you
are not in love you cannot imagine being in that state and cannot comprehend
why someone would go to the lengths they do for their love.
One thing though I
think is mischaracterized or misunderstood about love is its sanctity,
sacredness, and purity. Not every irrational action has to be vile,
for that is what brings out our individuality and perhaps separates us from
future android. But love takes no prisoner when you are inflicted with it you
are the victim, but in a high which I imagine could be matched with heroin or
cocaine and similar to those high, here to you eventually, come down and are
faced with having to judge and live the consequences of the actions you took
when you were not you. Sometimes, it's a minor infraction, sometimes it's a life-changing event, sometimes people jump off the bridge though that's
probably more because of love than cocaine.
I am not claiming it
is as vile as drugs, though surely in some specific cases it can do more harm.
I perhaps maybe kinda sorta agree that's better to have loved and lost than
never to have loved at all but to me, it seems Love is a wolf in sheep's clothing
or rather Pandora's box painted in all rainbows colors with flying unicorns.
Not to say it doesn't work for anyone, from the general state of affairs and
the population of earth it does it largely works but I think it's fleeting
feeling to be in love and then once the idea is incepted in your mind you
continue believing it even if it no longer brings you the joy it once did.
