I've always dreamed of myself in a beautiful and romantic relationship.
Growing up with 5 sisters, my days were filled with princesses, tea parties and Jane Austin. I saw these beautiful courtships in Emma, Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility that set the bar of what I wanted when I was of age to date and marry.
Then I got back from my mission, and became "of age".
I realized soon afterwords that I wanted a beautiful relationship, but I also wanted an easy one, I wanted it to just fall in my lap and that within a few weeks or months I would have re-written my own Jane Austin story; I being Mr. Knightly, of course.
What I've learned, the hard way, is that beauty doesn't come with ease.
An easy, love-at-first-sight, married-in-two-week relationship, rarely has the beauty and the depth of a relationship that has been fought for. Blood, tears and sweat are often the price for beauty.
The beauty of Pride and Prejudice is the forgiveness that Elizabeth painfully learns and the Humility that Darsey slowly learns. The Beauty of Emma is her great change of heart (which was painful and laborious). The Beauty of Jacob and Rachel from Genesis was in Jacob sacrificing 7 years, and then another 7 years to be able to call Rachel his own, "and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her". That is beauty. That is the cost.
The beauty in these stories came not because the relationship was easy; in fact it came because the relationship was hard--it was a purifying fire for both parties.
Today, in our modern, high-paced world, we're used to getting what we want, and getting it now. Too often we forget the value of patience, and the worth of sacrifice. We want relationships that fall into our laps and require the least amount of change possible. That's what happens to Tony Stark, why shouldn't it happen to me?
We've forgotten the price of beauty.
I've decided that I value beauty over easy, and that's changed how I see relationships. I won't look for the easiest path anymore; I'll seek the beautiful one.
Why is there no "Undo" button on Blogspot?!?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure beauty exists, but i have a hard time seeing it, even as it stands and stares me in the face. If only i could live my babylonian dream and still be worthy of the kingdom. If only I were permitted by the great Creator of Heaven and Earth to have my cake and to eat it too, and yet still receive all the nutritional benefits to permit my body's endurance through the ages of man. Maybe this is his intended purpose for me, only designed by the Eternal Architect of happiness and not from man's lowly and Telestial designs. And if so, why is it my nature to rebel against eternal happiness and to kick against the pricks?
Yet with my lament, as with all laments, there is hope. For the words of God do stand idly awaiting their fulfillment, and the works of God endureth forever! I trust that intimate and omnipotent being to guide us in our paths toward humility and exaltation, and he has given us his word that we would ahve all the emans necessary for our happiness, support, and prosperity in the land. Although we are always found wanting, we still have our guide, "and the Holy Ghost will show you all things which ye should do."
Beautiful post, Lucas. Thanks for letting me post my lament. God bless good sir, and Godspeed :-)