Heaven, I’m in Heaven.

Beautiful

Progress

While I was working today a couple sat in front of me to eat their lunch. I think they’re in love. I think I smiled. That’s a good thing.

Love

Love is patient,

love is kind.

It is not jealous,

it is not pompous,

it is not inflated,
it is not rude,

it does not seek its own interests,

it is not quick-tempered,

it does not brood over injury,
it does not rejoice over wrongdoing

but rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things,

believes all things,

hopes all things,

endures all things.
Love never fails.

Paper Heart

Well it’s 1:30am and I’ve just finished watching Paper Heart (2009).  Sigh.  I really didn’t know anything about the film except that I should watch it (a suggestion that made more sense at the time it was suggested, but I digress…).  Anyway, since I didn’t know anything, (except that it was about this wonderful thing called ‘love’) I wasn’t aware of its little twist.  I did call it pretty early on, but then began to question that judgment as the film went on.  I know that makes no sense if you haven’t seen it.

I would definitely recommend seeing it, I think?  Hm… well, if you’re in love, it would probably be a nice choice, especially if you watch it with your significant other.  I absolutely love how the film “When Harry Met Sally” includes interviews with several older couples talking about how they first met.  This film took that idea a bit further, and I just ate it up.  From a film standpoint, well… it certainly was interesting, the whole “hybrid-documentary” idea.  There were a few things I would have done differently.  If you haven’t noticed, it didn’t get great reviews last year when it came out.  I still think it’s worth your time.  It’s cute, and sometimes cute is enough.

I watched it after FINALLY getting around to watching “Stand By Me” (1986).  Yes I’ve never seen it.  Wait, now I have.  It was actually sort of a let down.  I think if I had watched it when I was supposed to watch it (say, 10 years ago), I would have worked a little better.  I think my expectations were just a natural result of hearing “What?! You haven’t seen Stand By Me?” one too many times.  I think this is a phenomenon I will continue to experience as I work my way down the list of must-see film.

So we’re getting dangerously close to 2am, and I’ve got a Mass to catch in the morning.  I’m actually back home, in Maine, again.  Funny how that keeps happening.  Back to Massachusetts after lunch to wrap up the semester.  Toodle pip.

Aimless Love

This morning as I walked along the lakeshore,
I fell in love with a wren
and later in the day with a mouse
the cat had dropped under the dining room table.

In the shadows of an autumn evening,
I fell for a seamstress
still at her machine in the tailor’s window,
and later for a bowl of broth,
steam rising like smoke from a naval battle.

This is the best kind of love, I thought,
without recompense, without gifts,
or unkind words, without suspicion,
or silence on the telephone.

The love of the chestnut,
the jazz cap and one hand on the wheel.

No lust, no slam of the door–
the love of the miniature orange tree,
the clean white shirt, the hot evening shower,
the highway that cuts across Florida.

No waiting, no huffiness, or rancor–
just a twinge every now and then

for the wren who had built her nest
on a low branch overhanging the water
and for the dead mouse,
still dressed in its light brown suit.

But my heart is always propped up
in a field on its tripod,
ready for the next arrow.

After I carried the mouse by the tail
to a pile of leaves in the woods,
I found myself standing at the bathroom sink
gazing down affectionately at the soap,

so patient and soluble,
so at home in its pale green soap dish.
I could feel myself falling again
as I felt its turning in my wet hands
and caught the scent of lavender and stone.

-Billy Collins