Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Passion...is that all there is?

And I will make thee beds of roses
And a thousand fragrant posies,
A cap of flowers,
and a kirtle
Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle;
The Passionate Shepherd by Christopher Marlowe

When we invite others into our lives with passionate promises do we take responsibility since you--well--could say--they are in our care. Or would it be better to say under our spell...either way we should be responsible for them. I read that in a little book called "Le Petite Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery and it seemed to make sense. Especially when the Fox is telling a secret which goes like this..."Men have forgotten this truth," said the fox. "But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose..."
"I am responsible for my rose," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.
Of course I too had to repeat the phrase so I would not forget but still it only came after years of failing to do just that...you know take responsibility. Now why would someone enjoying life let taking responsibility get in the way of passion? Is passion not supposed to be something of the free spirit...and everyone knows real passion answers to no one. No one except for outcome. Outcome? Now why would I spoil my passion by worrying about later and you know...whatever happens--happens. How do you say ten years and 2 children later...I'm out of here...this relationship has gone flat. It happens and equally to both sides of the relationship. Kate Chopin wrote " The Awakening" about Louisiana Creole around New Orleans and passion in the days when women were never supposed to explore their sexuality...even if they were dissatisfied with their husbands. She wrote this in 1899 so guess what? Women were dumping relationships in pre-modern days. Of course the Victorian community must have rejected that book but I don't think so.

The stories are not that long and the understanding that we have not changed much in the last hundred years or so. We need passion in our lives but we also need responsibility.

1 comment:

carlota said...

En "El pequeño príncipe" todas las frases y todas las palabras tienen un sentido. Nada sobra en ese libro.
Hablas de responsabilidad.
Es lo que debería llevar implícito toda acción.
Por tanto, la pasión, y el amor, conllevan responsabilidad. Creo que quieres decir eso.
(Perdona pero es que mi inglés no es lo bastante bueno como para captar todo lo que debes querer decir).
Un abrazo