In Other Words

I haven't played this meme in quite awhile. But the quote I found on the page struck me as rather profound and I just had to do it. So without further ado, in other words


Love is a blazing, crackling, green-wood flame, as much smoke as flame; friendship, married friendship particularly, is a steady, intense, comfortable fire. Love, in courtship, is friendship in hope; in matrimony, friendship upon proof.
-- Samuel Richardson (1689-1761), British novelist.

It seems that this quote knew I had the warm fuzzies going on. I think so much of it is true, that love is friendship. Without friendship how could you have love at all? And it's quite true that in the first stages of love you are developing a friendship in the hope that something lasting will come out of it and when you say your vows you have that proof of commitment on the rings that are exchanged.

I'm not finding the words I want to say, but I can see the how one might view love as a flame too, it's intensity changing over the course of a relationship, burning hot and fast as love grows, but always a steady glow remains long after the first blush of passions ebs.

Maybe the comparison to love and a flame comes from the warmth that real love brings to you. It's a pleasant thought and true. Everything seems to be warmer and brighter when you think you're in love.

I'm not sure why I've been feeling pulled towards more romantic things lately, it's not generally what I prefer. I think some of Justin Hayward's romanticism has rubbed off on me. This quote sounds like Justin too me. I equate romantic thoughts with the British for some reason. It could be my love for Regency romance novels, who knows?