After a long time, I wanted to see a movie so badly.
It was a Disney, the latest, The Nutcracker
and the Four Realms. Finally, I succeeded finding two friends to accompany
me to the Sky Lite 3D Cinema, Matara. The poor souls who were spending the
weekend at home couldn’t refuse my plea though they hated Disney. It was last
Sunday’s 1.30pm show. The hall wasn’t crowded at all except for three of us and
a couple of parents with their little kids. After getting seated, I looked
around wondering to where the others who were waiting outside disappeared. Unable
to resist my thoughts, I asked my friends “Where are the others?” and then my
wise companions giggled and blurted, “Ayyo, they’re inside boxes”. I was amazed
to hear that. True that they were young couples. Many of them were teenagers, I
can remember. But, why were they sitting inside box cubicles while there was plenty
of space in the common audience? And how could these teenagers afford Rs.350
each to buy those boxes? Disturbing my stream of consciousness, the screen lighted
and I adjusted myself comfily in the seat to watch another beautiful Disney
movie. 😎
This little movie day out enlightened me to ponder
on ‘Love’, a much broader topic than I imagined. What would you say, if I pose
the question, What is Love? Is it the
kind of love our grandparents and parents share…? Caring for each other no
matter what hardships they encounter? Sharing the teeny bit of meal and living
happily together? Growing old together? In that sense, could it be Platonic
love? If it was Platonic love, why couldn’t those young couples watch the movie
resting one’s head on the other’s shoulder in the common audience? Why couldn’t
they walk hand in hand on the beach if they aren’t really interested in
watching the movie? Hahaa I know it’s
quite difficult to give an exact answer or a definition to Love. Your interpretation of Love
could vary from mine. But I am wondering whether love is lust or lust is
love. Or can it be a fusion of both? I’m still struggling to understand…💭
So, as an Oriental nation, where are we going? We
highly talk about preserving nationality and cultural values. We protest
against legalising sex work and same sex marriages which are accepted in
western nations. But, what’s the point
in acquiring those high aspirations while we’re interpreting the simple math, love
as lust or the vice versa? Based upon my life experiences, I would say lust is
only a one tenth fraction from love. Love has more to do with understanding,
caring, patience, respect and sharing along with passion and lust. It is still
a broad concept to be comprehended even for me. So, how can those teenage minds
differentiate in between love and lust? Perhaps we can’t just accuse ourselves
for this misinterpretation of love. We could be just following the trend in the
society. From award winning novels to teledramas and movies, sex has become the
key marketing tool. So how can we blame ourselves? We are blindfolded in a pop culture
where lust-passion and sex are considered the latest trending brands relating
to love. To be honest, today, it has become a fashion that every couple makes
love when they begin a relationship. Renting out rooms, watching movies in box
cubicles have become essential criteria in ‘relationship goals starter packs’. I’m
sure that it would bring you every joy and happiness. Anyway, just try watching
a sun set in mountains or seaside with your partner. Try counting stars and
tracing constellations on a moonlit night with your partner beside. I’m certain
that you’ll experience the ultimate bliss in a relationship! 😊
So, dear romantic souls, I’m leaving you to decide
whether you’re enjoying love or lust. Both are four letter words starting with 'L'. But, beware not to be misled as they carry entirely different dimensions of meanings. Think more than twice before you
conclude.💘
In the first place I should mention that your question is a very subjective question to lovers...😀😀😀Lovers will define their love according to their own ideas and I think think we should not judge them. From a very personal perspective I think it is both love and lust and that line is blurred. From what I believe love is a decision and a sacrifice
ReplyDeleteHahaha... true...No wonder it's hard to understand others' standpoints as still I'm wondering about my own perspective on LOVE and LUST. :D
Deletewell, the margin between the two 'L' is highly permeable , I should say. And the two forces cannot be kept in isolation. Talking about culture ( as now we know is a discursive construct) , I think there is whole negative set of connotations associated with the word "lust" which is enhanced by a regular articulation. For me,Lust comes out of extreme love for another and it is not essentially physical. Problems do arise when ground rules are not set at an early stage of a relationship . So regarding the two big 'L's , let me allude to Frost , " GOOD FENCES MAKE GOOD NEIGHBOURS" :P :D
ReplyDeleteHmmm...yeah I agree. "Good Fences Make Good Neighbors"! A useful motto for the romantic souls. :)
DeleteI agree with Naveen.
ReplyDeleteReasons why Sri Lankans will try to pay extra for a movie box or rent a room because the idea of intimacy is still a very taboo topic in our culture, whereas its a pretty-much free and open concept in the West. I am not saying culture is wrong, but different societies have different ways of constructing what is appropriate and what is not.
I believe its all upto the individual to decide with pathway to choose. Love and Lust are considered as binaries in our cultures, but somewhere else in the world, this could mean the same. Therefore, I think its an individual choice and decision to subscribe to what definition or categorization suits them best, because ultimately we as the society doesn't live their lives for them.
Interesting topic,
ReplyDeletemore interesting because these days I am reading Ovid's Metamorphoses where gods fall in love with human women and end up raping them to consummate their love.
I personally feel that the sexual desires is the first and foremost drivers of love. But the idea of love has been complicated with various values and norms by cultural knowledge whether it be Eastern or Western.