Monday, February 14, 2011

From : "Starbook" by Ben Okri ... an interlude on love

p.267


All love must lead to death. And out of this death a new man or woman is born. But ... also love does not lead to only one death, but to several deaths; and that because of love one must keep dying and being reborn, from time to time. And ... love dies only when you resist another death which love brings upon you, in order that you be reborn, and grow. That is why there are few real loves in the world, because people fear yet another death that they must endure. They count the deaths and rebirths they have undergone and say 'so many and no more, so far but no further; I will not die again for you, but intend to stay here where I am, how I am now, and here in this fixed place. I intend to build the castle of myself on this rock.' 


...[T]here was no end to the deaths that love brings about, and no end to the rebirths either. Each death making us lighter, freer, simpler, more human, more vulnerable, more strong, more spiritual, more tender, and more universal. Till we become unrepresentative of our clan, tribe, country, sex, religion, or any other classification; but just a beautifully  dying  living  being, dying and being reborn, regenerated, refined, for ever, till we become a kind of dream of light, ....

Reading it for the second time ... an essay on love is happening ... now ... in the eve of the day designed for love in this world of ours ...

                          With
                                                                             :)


4 comments:

Nandini Basu said...

Yes, we die to live again....thanks for the post.

Susmita said...

@Nandinidi: pleasure is always mine ... :)

Kreeti said...

I truly agree with the words of Ben Okri. I'll read the whole book very soon. But, love really leads to death and then a new person is born. I can relate to it because I have died in love and then I was born again, and then I died again and I was born again.. The interesting thing is as the walls of vulnerability is broken I'm not afraid to fall in love again. The good thing is my capability to love has grown deeper. As we first fall in love, there's attachment and once the love breaks the walls of fear of loss, the need for attachment ceases and then true love flows.. What's more? You become love itself. I like how Osho puts it: "We are like that wildflowers of the Himalayas who don't really care whether someone is noticing it or not. We just bloom, we just love coz we are love itself."
Thanks for the post Susmita. It was a good one. I've become ur follower! :)

Susmita said...

thanks for stopping by Kreeti ... as for dying in love ... ben okri's words appear to me more about nullifying the idea of the self rather than a tangible break-up. thank you for sharing your opinion on this ... hope to visit your blog soon :)