#352

Couple comments on young love. Megan, in particular, has unwittingly revealed special interests in special someones before; lately, she insists on riding the school bus – even if a drop-off or pick-up by parent is available – and we think it's about a boy. Oh brother. I had my first crushes on girls named Desiree and Ashley – I'm sure, thankfully, they don't read this – and I remember the feelings as not silly or insignificant (at the time, when I was a little younger than Meg). I wanted badly to impress. Oh brother. Yeah, again. Oh, Megan's little heart. I'm no expert on love – never was, never will be – but mercifully I see in plenty of other decent folks what I see in myself, a sort of effortful but scuffling amateurism, when it comes to reading and loving your person expertly, for their optimal happiness and yours.

expert
noun 
1. one with the special skill or knowledge representing mastery of a particular subject

mastery
noun
1. command or grasp, as of a subject
2. the upper hand in a contest or competition, superiority

That settles that. So M 'n' m are lucky to be at the starting line. It's fun; it's painful; it's novel, eventful, and more human than almost anything else, the rush and energy of emotional love. Hopefully their young experiences serve to wisen, strengthen, and point them in the best direction.

From Rainer Maria Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet: To love is also good: for love is difficult. Fondness between human beings: that is perhaps the most difficult task that is set us, the ultimate thing, the final trial and test, the work for which all other work is only preparation. Therefore young people, who are beginners in everything, cannot know love yet: they have to learn it. With their whole being, with all their strength gathered about their lonely, fearful, upward beating heart, they must learn to love. But apprenticeship is always a long, secluded time, and therefore loving is for a long while, far into life.... Loving in the first instance is nothing that can be called losing... it is a sublime occasion for the individual to mature.

And another applicable quote? When stricken with 'bad luck' and heartbroken?

“You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from.” — Cormac McCarthy