Just heard that line the other day. Angelina Jolie was quoting someone else when she said it in an older movie of hers called "Playing By Heart". I love a good quote, and this one got me thinking a little bit more than your average fun or inspiring quote.
Putting love into words is hard. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a moment of experiencing deep resounding love is worth ten thousand pictures. But we all try to use words for it anyway. And though it's hard, I think sometimes people do it pretty well. In the same way, I don't doubt that there are dancers out there who could create a dance about architecture. We would watch them and think collectively, "Oh that's it. They've done it. How beautiful."
Some songwriters are pretty good at it. I could list some of my favorite lyrics here that give a brief and eloquent window into the experience of love, but then I might never stop... studying song lyrics is a small obsession of mine.
For many people there need be no talking about love. They know they love and are loved, and past hearing and saying I love you occasionally, that's it. I don't know why I've always craved more... like, why do you love? How wide and how deep is it? Will you express it and accept my expression of it? Maybe it has to do with love languages... and if you give and receive love best with verbal affirmation, you will identify with me more strongly.
If I've been given the gift of love expressed well verbally, I'll likely never forget it. I have a year old voicemail saved on my phone from my dad telling me about a conversation he had with someone about me and how my being born changed his life. I listen to it every once in a while... it is love. On my desk I have a little piece of torn paper that Zac sent me in a letter from when he was in Sri Lanka almost five years ago with a little drawing and some words on there about how what he seen and then tried to draw had reminded him of me. I hope I never lose that little thing.
Actions usually speak louder than words, and I'm sure we all have countless stories of how someone showed us their love. But how have you experienced love expressed successfully to you in words? Do you care about the why and how? Tell me.
Happy Valentine's Day, to all of you that I love.
3 comments:
One time that I felt very loved ws actually when I broke my arm last year. The second I fell off that bike it was clear that Shane was in just about as pain as I was, and when he told me that he wished it would've been him that had fallen I actually believed him. His concern for my well-being and his empathy for my pain were such clear & tangible displays of deep love.
that's it. that is what i'm talking about.
Love is:
When you walk out to your car in the cold morning and just as you are about ready to drive away, you look back at your cozy little house and see the blinds are open just a peak. And you notice that there is a little finger holding them apart, allowing just enough space to watch you as you drive away. That's love. (happened to me this week, i'll probably shamelessly blog about it.)
Love your post Corinne. You eloquently captured love in words, even if that's not an easy thing to do.
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