Love, Invention, and Broadway Musicals...
My previous post said that I had two things on my mind... obviously I couldn't think of a segway... well, that and I thought it might be in poor taste to post a dissertation-sized thought this early in the game :) So, each thought meandering through my brain gets its own space to work itself out in... I think it's only fair.
"Do I want you because you're wonderful, or are you wonderful because I want you?
Are you the sweet invention of a lover's dream or are you really as wonderful as you seem?"
(it's better when you hear it!)
Such are the thoughts of both Cinderella and Prince Charming as they dance in the garden at the ball. I have always loved this song, have always loved this musical (See all that you'd want to know about it here). Tonight as I was watching it however, those same words that regularly bring a wistfully romantic smile to my face instead started me to examining my life. I know, I know... waxing philosophical to a broadway show, and a fairy tale at that... but really, hear me out.
I wonder how often our feelings are like the fears expressed by Cinderella and the Prince. Their love turned out to be real, but I wonder how often we find ourselves on the other side of that scenario. Do we want them because they are wonderful, or are they wonderful because we want them? I don't really think this is a chicken and egg deal... one definitely came first and it makes a world of difference which one it is.
Let's imagine for a moment that we have a girl and a boy. The boy appears to be sweet, kind, loving, and charming... a real prince ;) The girl finds herself falling for this boy. Now the question is, is the boy really kind, loving, and charming? Or does he only appear that way because that is the way that the girl wants him to be?
Could it be that we set our sights on something and build it up to this wonderful status, simply because we have set our sights on it? That it really does not meet those qualifications at all? And then, once we have set our sights on it (or him, or her), and then built it up, that we commit ourselves to obtaining it and lose sight of the fact that it really isn't what we wanted in the first place. It is only after we have cycled through that we can look back and see that we were in love with our own invention, not the person (or thing) that we once thought.
I suppose that all of this makes me sound very cynical in the love department, and I suppose that at times I am, get burned enough times and you're going to be afraid of fire right? But really, I don't think that's where this is coming from... simply a revelation, thoughts beginning to spin in my head. If it's true, that we often fall in love with our own inventions, then it makes so many things so much clearer...
"Do I want you because you're wonderful, or are you wonderful because I want you?
Are you the sweet invention of a lover's dream or are you really as wonderful as you seem?"
(it's better when you hear it!)
Such are the thoughts of both Cinderella and Prince Charming as they dance in the garden at the ball. I have always loved this song, have always loved this musical (See all that you'd want to know about it here). Tonight as I was watching it however, those same words that regularly bring a wistfully romantic smile to my face instead started me to examining my life. I know, I know... waxing philosophical to a broadway show, and a fairy tale at that... but really, hear me out.
I wonder how often our feelings are like the fears expressed by Cinderella and the Prince. Their love turned out to be real, but I wonder how often we find ourselves on the other side of that scenario. Do we want them because they are wonderful, or are they wonderful because we want them? I don't really think this is a chicken and egg deal... one definitely came first and it makes a world of difference which one it is.
Let's imagine for a moment that we have a girl and a boy. The boy appears to be sweet, kind, loving, and charming... a real prince ;) The girl finds herself falling for this boy. Now the question is, is the boy really kind, loving, and charming? Or does he only appear that way because that is the way that the girl wants him to be?
Could it be that we set our sights on something and build it up to this wonderful status, simply because we have set our sights on it? That it really does not meet those qualifications at all? And then, once we have set our sights on it (or him, or her), and then built it up, that we commit ourselves to obtaining it and lose sight of the fact that it really isn't what we wanted in the first place. It is only after we have cycled through that we can look back and see that we were in love with our own invention, not the person (or thing) that we once thought.
I suppose that all of this makes me sound very cynical in the love department, and I suppose that at times I am, get burned enough times and you're going to be afraid of fire right? But really, I don't think that's where this is coming from... simply a revelation, thoughts beginning to spin in my head. If it's true, that we often fall in love with our own inventions, then it makes so many things so much clearer...
posted by Alison at 12:20 AM
2 Comments:
I think maybe there's a third option....do I want you b/c you think I'M wonderful :)
Let me think...I've dated 8 girls in my life (that's counting one of them twice)
Option 1: Which one's did I want b/c they were wonderful? Hmmm....Haha, i'm not really gonna name names, but I'll say how many of the 7. I think...2
Option 2: How many were wonderful b/c I wanted them...2
Option 3: How many liked me, so I made myself believe I liked them...3
Hmm...that leaves me with 1 leftover....new category: We dated b/c we were bored....1
I agree with you both, there are definite times when "I want you because you want me" or "I want you because you think I'm wonderful". Alas, I guess I can't really base my philosophy of love around Cinderella...
Post a Comment
<< Home