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Sunday, February 12, 2012

Paint Your Soul Red

Young Girl Defending Herself Against Eros. William-Adolphe Bougrereau.


Contemplating Cupid, whose aim is often askew, uniting the most unlikely sorts, and making me question his credibility altogether; I must say that I continue to be a fan of love and still retain the infectious wounds inflicted from his arrows. Yes, I said wounds, for having dated many; my heart has been pierced more than once.

Love is a messy thing, interrupting lives and overthrowing hearts before the unsuspecting pair has a chance to gird their tender loins. Of course not all loins are tender, and love need not be reserved for the young, for love has long arms and reaches far into the future, holding dear the subject of adoration well past the time of noticing skunky streaks whitening the temples and creases brought on by life’s bloody combats… and welcomed comedies.

Fair maidens become fair ladies, well versed in the art of love and irony, and lads become lords with heavy feet and aching backs from life’s long ride. The love itself knows no difference between maiden and lady, or lad and lord, for love stands tall within the soul that sought the love and carried it thus far.

If you were struck blind, how then would you measure your lover’s fairness?
For beauty and eyes both fade, but love abides in the timeless heart.
Youth’s brief kiss will soon be forgotten.
And what then?
Fret not, for you need only close your eyes to see that fairest love whose familiar heart calls you to the center of the universe, where one’s eyes measure nothing, and love, that steamy art, paints your soul red.









40 comments:

Martha Jane Orlando said...

". . . for love has long arms and reaches far into the future . . ."
Yes, it does. Danny and I met and fell in love in our late forties. Love knows no time limits and I thank God for that.
Once again, Leah, this is a masterful reflection on love, complete with all its aches and pains and wrinkles. :)
Bravo and blessings!

Jayne said...

"[...]for love has long arms and reaches far into the future, [..]" Ah, that's such a beautiful image. The whole passage--gorgeous. And true about the Lords and Ladies, achy muscles, brittle bones, love still stands tall in the soul.

I'm waiting patiently for Tuesday when I can open that package of Dove dark chocolate hearts that I got at the supermarket today. Really, that's the best part of Valentine's Day. Ha! ;)

And Leonard. Sigh. A thousand kisses deep, indeed.

Leah Griffith said...

Jayne, how can you resist Dove dark! So silky;)
This was a bit tongue in cheek LOL!! Too much fun. Tender loins. LOL!! You gotta love love, and Valentines Day. *grin

Leah Griffith said...

Martha, young people think that love stops when looks fail. Some day they will know the truth. I'm so happy for your love. Enjoy your lucky Valentine Martha. He found an amazing woman!
oxox

Marie Loerzel said...

This is one of my favorite things you have written and that's saying something because I adore your writing! Happy Valentine's Day Leah!

Rimly said...

Oh I loved this Leah. It was funny and yet so real. Happy Valentine Day, dear friend!

http://rimlybezbaruah.blogspot.in/2012/02/lingering.html

JANU said...

Funny yet very real...loved this post. Yes, I too have the wounds.

Anonymous said...

beautiful words and sentiments... Love will find us when we stop looking... Love comes in many forms...

Leah Griffith said...

Marie, this was fun to write. I couldn't bring myself to pen a mushy post... it just wouldn't come. LOL!! Thank you for your HUGE compliment;)
Happy Valentine's Day!!

Leah Griffith said...

Happy Valentine's Day Rimly! I'm so glad you enjoyed it;)
Hugs,
Leah

Leah Griffith said...

Janaki, with love comes wounds and scars and irony! LOL!! We are all survivors of love;) Happy Valentine's Day!
xo

sulekkha said...

Leah, I loved reading your article about love, and what you said about love finding us even when looks fade, That's true love <3

Leah Griffith said...

Janaki, love is funny isn't it? Unpredictable too... it will drive you wild! Happy Valentine's Day!!

Melissa Tandoc said...

E' bellissima Leah!~everything you've posted here is. While most friends would tell me to stop looking for a stone to hit my head, I still keep on believing that love has more to offer than heart and headaches ;) I loved that image of Cupid and the Young Girl ~ except that in my case, Eros keep on missing the mark ;)

Karen Wojcik Berner said...

Happy Valentine's Day, Leah! This is one of the best posts about the impending holiday I have ever read. I'm not a gushy sort either, but this is lovely, poignant and fun.

Hope you have a wonderful one!

Jessica said...

This is a beautifully written post..very poetic. I loved reading your insights regarding love. There were so many lines I enjoyed!

Leah Griffith said...

Melissa, Eros's aim may sometimes be questionable, he is after all very mischievous! Never stop believing in love Melissa, for although troublesome and messy love also carries with it the gift of magic.
Happy Valentine's Day Melissa!

Leah Griffith said...

Thank you Karen! Happy Valentine's Day from one non-gusher to another;) Okay... I'm a little bit of a gusher LOL!

Leah Griffith said...

Sulekkha, the young believe that love was invented just for them. Looks and age having nothing to do with love because love is a spiritual force that goes on forever.
Happy Valentine's Day sweetie!
xo

Leah Griffith said...

Thank you Jessica, I really enjoyed writing this one. Valentine's Day is for lovers of every age;)
Happy Valentine's Day!
xo

Kavita Saharia said...

"for love stands tall within the soul that sought the love and carried it thus far " - so true ,it touched my hear Leah.

Leah Griffith said...

Kavita, I'm honored to have touched your heart <3
Happy Valentine's Day.
xo

Debbie Maxwell Allen said...

Beautifully said. Love the painting, too. I've never seen that one before.

~Debbie

Manisha Bhatia said...

It was rather deep narration, we all have wounds n I have often found tht one who loves deeply n honestly recieves d scars, strange!

LOVE
Mani

S. Susan Deborah said...

I love love this song of Cohen. The heart knows the depth even one is blind. Well, loved this post.

Happy Valentines, Leah. May love always envelop you and yours.

Joy always,
Susan

Ms. Faustus said...

...I just realized a few days ago that I am a human mirror. A blog post is coming up on that topic, but for now it is still bubbling in my cauldron.

...and this is what this post reflected on my yielding surface: carefully, carefully wrought words. Very little effortlessness and a lot of weight, caused both by the importance of the subject matter at hand and a wish to do justice to one's own tender feelings. The impossibility of not writing. The necessity of finding a way to write about it.

I hope I did not take any liberties there. It was just what I saw in your beautiful words. I wish you a wonderful time on this gloriously messy Valentine's Day :)

Dangerous Linda said...

Happy Valentines Day, Sweetheart! Lovely, lyrical post! I L-O-V-E the painting 'Young Girl Defending Herself Against Eros' -- haha! Ironic. Inspiring. Everything Valentines should be...XO

Cperz said...

Your writing is always so lovely. You had me with the first line. I am always amazed at how 2 people find each other in a whole universe of possiblities. The fact that cupid's "aim is askew" often applies, yet sometimes the "unlikey to work out"...does in fact, work.

Leah Griffith said...

Debbie, I have a print of it hanging in my living room. I love it too. Happy Valentine's Day!

Leah Griffith said...

Mani, you're so right. Although love isn't supposed to hurt it sometimes can leave some scarring;) Happy Valentine's Day. I hope it's wonderful;)
xo

Leah Griffith said...

Thank you Susan! Wishing love love love for you this Valentine's Day!
xo

Leah Griffith said...

Mirror mirror on the blog... LOL!! Chris, when it comes to love one must be tender. I'm brewing an email...
I hope your Valentine's Day is gooey with love!
Hugs,
Leah

Leah Griffith said...

Lovely Linda, irony is one of the main ingredients in romance. I see you've had a heady serving this Valentine's Day. Wishing you toe curling love!
xo

Leah Griffith said...

Thank you Cheryl! Yes, unlikely... a couple nobody would think to toss together, and yet, it works! Perhaps Eros knows more than I give him credit for. Happy Valentines Day Cheryl! Thank you for the visit;)

Unknown said...

Leah, thank you for stopping by and leaving such a sweet comment on my blog. Love love the painting!! Yes, indeed love is messy and fun, wild, free, simple, sweet, painful at times, often leaves us longing and mourning for more. I also think there are phases of love.. Love is just simple and sweet if you want it to be... Love love your post! Thanks again

http://scatteredmusings.net/2012/02/valentines-day-simple-and-sweet/

The Poet said...

Lovely Leah,
Not sure how I missed this, but I'm here now (smile). As you probably know already, I'm an incurable romantic...always have been, always will be. Love knows no color, no time, no distance, no age. When everything around us is withering & dying, love remains eternal.

When relationships fail, people are quick to blame love, but it's not love that fails us, it's we imperfect humans who do not understand love and misuse its meaning that disappoint love. Love is perfect and cannot hurt us, because it originated in the heavens. With love, it's not the outer beauty of the man or woman, but the qualities of the heart...that's where true beauty lies and that's what love sees, what love knows.

When it comes to love, I am not a one day a year man. Love flows through my bones, through my soul, through my heart 24/7/365(6) (smile).
Really enjoyed this post.
Thanks for sharing Leah.

Midnight Rainbow

photos by jan said...

Beautifully said. Sometimes following the heart seems wrong but still it cannot be denied. My soul has been painted red....

Leah Griffith said...

Thank you for your visit Debbie! Nearly every adjective in the dictionary can be used to describe love in one way or another. LOL!1

Leah Griffith said...

Andy, you are so right. We disappoint love, and use love, but love is faithful.
I know that you are a dripping romantic. It's wonderful to find a man with a moony heart. Most of the time it's us women baying at the moon;)
xo

Leah Griffith said...

And a lovely shade of red it is my dear Jan <3

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