As I dosed in my recliner last night -- slipping in and out of lucidity as I suffer mightily from an intestinal virus -- my wife was watching one of those forgettable flicks on the Hallmark Channel. I can't tell you the name of the movie nor much of anything about the plot, but during one of my semi-conscious moments, I heard one of the characters exclaim, "Nothing is as beautiful as young love."
At almost the same instance, both my wife & I blurted out the same basic sentiment -- Older love is better!
I suppose we often think that love in our younger years is better because it's so fresh and new. When you meet the "right person" your world seems to get turned upside down and it often feels like a fireworks display is erupting inside your heart and soul. At times, life almost feels surreal, sort of like an out of body experience.
But young love generally is subject to great highs and lows. The first time you intimately hold your beloved in your naked arms is the kind of experience few of us can put into words. On the flip side, the first major argument tends to make us feel like we've made the most horrid mistake as our idealization of the perfect partnership has been torn asunder.
In essence, young love often is like a roller coaster ride -- breathtaking rushes followed by the feeling like you're going to puke out your lunch and all your entrails too.
An older love is much deeper and is characterized by contentment and harmony. You and your beloved know each other inside and out. You've been through the best of times and the worst of times together. Those of us lucky enough to emerge from this struggle -- and any quality marriage or partnership IS a struggle -- find we have a much deeper relationship than anything that came before.
I often compare my marriage to the feeling one has for a favored pair of worn out jeans. The pant legs may be a bit frayed. The color is certainly faded. There may well be a hole or two in the material. But they feel so comfortable to wear, like a second skin. The very thought of chucking them in the trash is unthinkable!!!
You will wear them until there is almost no material left and you will keep sewing them up and patching them up to extend your relationship as long as humanly possible.
At almost the same instance, both my wife & I blurted out the same basic sentiment -- Older love is better!
I suppose we often think that love in our younger years is better because it's so fresh and new. When you meet the "right person" your world seems to get turned upside down and it often feels like a fireworks display is erupting inside your heart and soul. At times, life almost feels surreal, sort of like an out of body experience.
But young love generally is subject to great highs and lows. The first time you intimately hold your beloved in your naked arms is the kind of experience few of us can put into words. On the flip side, the first major argument tends to make us feel like we've made the most horrid mistake as our idealization of the perfect partnership has been torn asunder.
In essence, young love often is like a roller coaster ride -- breathtaking rushes followed by the feeling like you're going to puke out your lunch and all your entrails too.
An older love is much deeper and is characterized by contentment and harmony. You and your beloved know each other inside and out. You've been through the best of times and the worst of times together. Those of us lucky enough to emerge from this struggle -- and any quality marriage or partnership IS a struggle -- find we have a much deeper relationship than anything that came before.
I often compare my marriage to the feeling one has for a favored pair of worn out jeans. The pant legs may be a bit frayed. The color is certainly faded. There may well be a hole or two in the material. But they feel so comfortable to wear, like a second skin. The very thought of chucking them in the trash is unthinkable!!!
You will wear them until there is almost no material left and you will keep sewing them up and patching them up to extend your relationship as long as humanly possible.
i like this entry, i guess i would be in the young love section, having been with my girlfriend for about 3 years. and yes there are many ups and downs!
ReplyDeletealso the pics from Oregon are off 101 near Florence.... Oregon was one of the most beautiful places ive been.... up there with Hawaii
Aah yes, the area around Florence. My favorite stretch of the Oregon coast is just a tad bit north of there around Yachats.
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