The Great and Terrible Quest

   We just finished “The Great and Terrible Quest” which we (the VSers) were reading at Lavern’s house for the last three Sundays.  What a book!  I feel like it is one worthy of being entitled a classic for a number of reasons.  One, because the plot involves the classic struggle between good and evil and like all “romantic” novels ended with the heroes prevailing; evil is overthrown by good.  That is great!  I am always amazed how my heart starts beating fast and I find my mouth gaping like a zombie’s, as the plot begins to congeal.  This is all in-spite of the fact that I know the hero will probably be okay.  Most likely he will survive!  It will end with him one top, right?!  It is that element of identification with the situation, the “real life” danger involved, the high stakes, that makes reading a book like this a vicarious experience.  I think that this book is a classic also because it identifies and elaborates on the human problem of greed and with it the loss of love.  Forever, this will be something that we will deal with as humans.  We must be reminded.  It is really poverty of the mind that is the worst human state and not the lack of physical wealth.  So, if the driving force of a society is less than civil at best and leaning towards something animal-like at the worst, there will always be a terrible dearth of happiness and well-being as a society.

Huon scales the wall with little Trad holding tightly to his neck.  Arrows whizz overhead and smack into the rocks above, coming to rest with shafts quivering in the cracks which they are lodged.  All this danger is undertaken for the laws of honor, chivalry, and goodness.  Goodness, because of a call that was beyond; that is greater than any of the people involved in the quest.  Because they cared for it to be so.

Oh

You know, I write something and then look at it several days later and realize that several days have not elapsed since I wrote something but a week or ten days.  Man, I seem unable to keep up with this on-line thing.

Well, school is going pretty well. I have had some new experiences that have gotten me thinking more about life.  One of those times was around Valentine’s Day.  I asked my students what they thought about Valentine’s Day and got many answers.  The general consensus about VD seemed to be that the day is based on too much hype about love and ritzy marketing schemes depending on a human emotion.  Other people said that they thought VD was great if you were “in love”, but if you had no boyfriend/ girlfriend it was a very lonely and exclusive day.  I was surprised, frankly, by their answers because I thought that more people would be excited about this day; interested in celebrating love. I also talked about how around VD everyone talks about “TRUE LOVE”.  I asked them what their definition of true love was.  That was a really enlightening experience.  Some of the answers I got were really deep and substantial.  Here are some.

“I believe that true love is what my grandparents have.  They have lived with each other for forty years and they have gone through hard things and good things and still they love each other.  They are nice to be with.”

“I believe that true love is being willing to do everything for the other person.”

“I believe that true love is something that I feel really strong inside and I cannot think about anything else.  But I know it is real if someone who says that they have true love for me is willing to listen to me.”

“I believe that true love is this. I have experienced it.  I don’t know how to say it in English.  (Me) “Try.  Give it a try.” ” Well, you love someone very deeply and you want them to be your own.  You want them to love you like you love them, but you learn that you cannot experience that. Yet, you love them so much that you are willing to let them go and not have them love you because you love them with true love.  You love them still and will always.  That is true love.”

I love this last definition especially because it is so dangerous but so real.  To love this way it requires you to make your love known; the honesty to express your true feelings.  The nerve to put yourself on the line because you are no longer willing to remain silent about it and let it burn within.  Yet, your love may never be returned and still you love which is the actual commitment and test of love; true love.  I think that this definition has something in common with the love that God has for us.  I get such a clear picture of how we imitate God by certain things that we do and in the ways that we do them, we do have potential to be like him.  However, when we act out of our flawedness; we love with something that is far less than true love.  I can love with far less than true love.  I agree with what Lewis says to this effect: “We were meant to be gods.  We are so close but so far.”

Is true love possible?  I must think about this.  Glimpses are possible, I know that.  Small moments of true love are possible.

“Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for these desires exists. A baby feels hunger; well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim; well, there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual desire; well, there is such a thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”

-C.S. Lewis