I will be honest, Greg liked the 'Twilight' movies. He watched them whenever they came on cable, and we actually went to the theaters to see the final installment in the franchise. We agreed that the baby was incredibly creepy. But he and I also agreed that the message this storyline sent to young girls was inappropriate, with the focus on devoting your entire being to your one true love and giving up your future and your identity to be with them.
But it wasn't until this week that I realized how dangerous the 'Twilight' example really is. In the second movie, both Bella and Edward try to kill themselves when they believe they have lost their love forever. By that philosophy, I should be doing the same right now. Greg was my soulmate, and the pain I am feeling at his loss is crushing. But I know I must go on. I know there is still a lot of my life to be lived, and while I will miss my husband every day, I will go on. At risk of being corny (and to reference another of our favorite movies), my heart will go on.
Young ladies, go ahead and enjoy the 'Twilight' books, but realize they are not real life, and they definitely do not represent true love. True love does not require you to give up everything in your life, it compromises and grows and becomes part of that life. True love does not make you become a part of someone else, it celebrates your individuality, and while each of your pieces together makes something beautiful, your single piece is not diminished when standing alone. True love makes you believe in yourself as much as you believe in your love. I will be forever grateful to Greg for showing me what true love really is. And I think 'The Hunger Games' series is much better than 'Twilight'.
No comments:
Post a Comment