Early this morning I snuck through the guest room to get to the one bathroom I share with my room-mates. They have visitors this weekend, so I quietly tip-toed through the room, trying not to wake the darling couple sleeping sweetly wrapped up in a blue blanket. The couple is dealing with the angst of a long-distance relationship, but in the wee hours of a Sunday morning, there was no need for angst. I have been thinking about love today. It wasn't too long ago that I fancied myself in love, but unlike this couple my heart does not swoon these days. Instead it remains thoughtful.
I hung out with a saint again today. He is choosing a celibate life, which dumbfounds me beyond imagination, but I think this guy has some things to teach me about love. A few years ago he sold all he owned as an act of solidarity with the poor and he walks everywhere because he "wants to be attentive to the journey as much as the destination." This guy is perplexing. I was wearing black, high-heels while we spoke today. Black, high-heels.
C.G. Jung wrote, "Eros never emancipates his slaves." I think Jung is right, but eros is just one of four Greek words for love. What about the other three? What of agape and philia and storge?
Perhaps eros is an easier taskmaster. I'm not sure.
"To be loved means to be consumed. To love is to give light with inexhaustible oil." -Rainer Maria Rilke in The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge
I like this juxtaposition. A juxtaposition worth pondering.
Thank you for this wonderfull text.
ReplyDeleteC.G.Jung and R.M.Rilke are very close to me; and specially I feel very close to your thougths, too.
Thank´s a lot, Carmen !
Thanks for sharing.
Norbert
It's a little bit strange for me that you write about C.G. Jung. More strange is to read the comment from wabi.zumai because I wanted to tell you the same. I've learned a lot from Jung and also from Rilke. Do you know W.H. Auden? HE knew a lot about love (for example:
ReplyDeleteLike love we don't know where or why,
Like love we can't compel or fly,
Like love we often weep,
Like love we seldom keep.)
I enjoy your words and your thoughts very much.
Thank you Norbert and thank you sunSAYler! I am honored that you read my blog! Too bad we cannot sit together over a cup of coffee and share our experiences with Jung and Rilke.
ReplyDeleteYes, I know a little of Auden's poetry. You inspired me to look at some of his poetry this evening-- I came across the poem "Lullaby". It starts, "Lay your sleeping head, my love, Human on my faithless arm..."
You both might enjoy returning to this poem. Beautiful.