Wednesday 9 January 2013

Love in the light of the lamp

Last night when we came back to our campus after seeing off some relatives at Madgaon railway station, it was about 00: 00 am. At that time, the various stone benches dotting the campus were filled with love-struck  pairs who were quite occupied with their respective beaus. The sight was lovely! The thought that these love-birds could have their private moments at mid-night was a liberating one. In most campuses, the security pounces on these young ones and orders them to their hostels at about 8 or 9 pm but here, there were no such restrictions. Theirs were the stone benches and the lovely young night. The scene brought to my mind the whole thought of love-stories. Most of us love listening to love stories. It gives a voyeuristic peep into another individual's life and also gives us fodder for future situations, in some cases, imaginations.



I remember as teen-aged girls we loved pestering our senior friends for their love-stories. And as always, the seniors blushed, blinked, became thoughtful or rather lost in thought and began by saying, "Our story is not like those films you see. It is a very simple and straight-forward one."  We nodded and forgot ourselves while we listened with rapt attention the account of the first meeting not even swallowing our saliva and travelled with them as they travelled in their minds. When the senior remarked about the first touch, our skins tingled and we blushed and wondered about the many films we saw replaying the scenes over and over in our heads until we grew sick with love for a non-existent guy and then when we heard the senior say, "He finally told me those three words," we would demand, "How, how did he say it?" Another blink, another blush and then the story ended. We sighed, "So many years, you've been going around?" and finally the stories lost appeal. Reality beckons and we masticate those words that so completely thrilled and fascinated us.

As we grew up, the realisation that the love in films is different from the love in real life hit us hard but still we liked to listen to love-stories. Then we fell in and out of love and were proud individuals who now had our own love-stories to narrate to eager teens and students. Many parts were modified and censored but the story never lost its charm.

I am now married and have heard many many love-stories but still when I saw those young students sitting on the stone benches with bodies closely touching the other's and hands clasped, I wanted to go and ask them their love-stories.

Do you like listening to love-stories by the moonlight?

Leaving you with a lovely song by Andy Williams who recently passed on.



Image 1: Internet
Image 2: Internet

43 comments:

  1. Still love reading mills and boon for the sheer thought that miracles and forever-love and hope can exist! Sometimes, a fantasy world is all we need to move on in the real with the hope that one day, some day, the knight in shining armor will come and sweep us off our feet! :D

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    1. That's the thing. I don't like reading them, I like listening to them any given day. In real life there are only men who act as if they are some ethereal creatures!

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  2. NOSTALGIC :P
    Unlike you i just finished my college a couple of years back...
    I really doubt whether all those sitting 'as you mentioned' bodies close are lovers ? :P :D

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    1. Ah, maybe not. They might just be attracted for the raging hormones but they made a beautiful sight.

      Welcome Deepak. Glad to see you here.

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  3. smiles...i love hearing peoples love stories....i am a sucker for love...watched a show on rumi last night too so love is on my mind today...smiles. you should have asked them...i always ask people....

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    1. Ask them? They were in another time and space. How dare I disturb that!

      Smiles :)

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  4. Ahem Ahem..totally was handicapped when it came to love until couple of years back, but these days every now & then I get this question "How & when did you guys fall in love?, Did he propose to you or you did?" These questions leave us with a smile always even after explaining for some hazaar times :)

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    1. And secretly we love explaining na? We relive those moments by narrating the story of our life and love.

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  5. Well, Susan Deborah--you know how to bring me out of concussion (or is it called seclusion)--grin!

    Before I saw you posted the very popular and beautiful song, "Love Story" by ANDY...I had my own instant connection. That being Anna singing in the "King of Siam(?)"
    HELLO YOUNG LOVERS (a few lines)
    "
    When I think of Tom.
    I think of a night,
    When the earth smelled of summer
    And the sky was streaked with white,
    The soft mist of England
    Was sleeping on a hill.

    I remember this,
    And I always will...
    There are new lovers now
    On the same silent hill,
    Looking on the same blue sea.
    And I know Tom and I are a part of them all --
    And they're all a part of Tom an me.

    Hello young lovers, whoever you are,
    I hope your troubles are few.
    All my good wishes go with you tonight,
    I've been in love like you..." (incomplete)

    And the SO famous last line, communicated slowly, and almost inaudibly:
    "...I've had a love of my own."

    BTW, FYI...I played BOTH of those songs last night also at my gig. Smetimes when I'm playing things like that, tears form, but I hide that from the audience--maybe! GIRL, I think you and I are Romanics--grin!!!!

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    1. Such lovely lines, Steve. I wish I could hear you play some day. God-willing.

      Of course, you and I are romantics and part of each other via our blogs. Grin ;)

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  6. I love hearing love stories. I'm such a romantic. Maybe you should tell us yours sometime. Have a love-filled day.

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    1. I will for sure tell you mine someday, Myrna. Have a lovely Sunday :)

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  7. Wish I had told you mine. But, I am a die hard romantic always hoping for a fairy tale ending.

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    1. I wish as well. Fairy-tales are best remembered as stories without being extended into the real world.

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  8. I have spent ore than half my life, bitter and cynical about the love stories of others. I recognize the whys and wherefores of my tie in that place. Now however, I do believe in love and romance, unfortunately the man I married has no idea of traditional romance,(part of what attracted me in the first place.) Now in our middle age, we see our love for what it is, driving down the road, quietly together, speaking little, maybe holding hands maybe not. Then suddenly our thoughts mesh and we both exclaim over something we see as the country side passes by. Invariably, we in unison,declare our desire to turn around and explore. Doing this we, climb or walk around the particular place ,be it a waterfall or a piece of architecture, exclaiming and excitement at the discovery in every word, generally ending with us holding each other and staring in awe, a kiss and a reluctant leaving of the place. Returning to our vehicle holding hands now and waiting for the next adventure to appear. This to me is the epitome of romance in an old married couple. We don't have date night, we have date adventures.
    this is a grea topic and I love the way you have made the couples on those concrete benches come to life with your whimsical thoughts. <3

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    1. I loved what you've written here, Jan. How very sweet and wise. And, you're right, as we grow with each other, love is not romantic alone - it spread to every facet of our lives. Wishing you love and love always :)

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  9. Someone has mentioned here the Love Story song, sung by Andy William. Well, I like love songs,like this one.It's an unforgettable song, whereas, love stories, though I like to hear them, I tend to forget them.

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    1. Even I forget them, DUTA. How have you been? Long time since you posted. Nice picture there.

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  10. Great love stories make me swoon . . . I loved the images of the young couples you shared with us. This reminded me how important it is to never let romance go out of one's relationship. Beautiful . . .
    Blessings to you!

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    1. Romance takes different forms as life evolves. Isn't it Martha? Wishing you a lovely Sunday.

      Joy and love :)

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  11. I would love to hear your love story. Perhaps some day? Blessings and love to you!

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    1. Some day, yes.

      Great to see you here, dear Angie.

      Blessings and love back at ya.

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  12. Not only do i ditto to ur thoughts but many a times i feel like i go overboard in my unsaid mental requests.i mean the moment i hear that someone has had a love marriage i want to hear all. Sure enough situations may not guarantee asking such personal questions but nevertheless the heart yearns to hear. love stories have an enigma...a mystery especially for people like us who were conditioned to love after marriage.
    You know what... i always say this to my dear husband..." Darling were you my neighbor i would surely go to the terrace with cheating reasons...for example to dry my golden tresses in the sun just to seduce you and make you fall in love with me even when we would be strangers..."
    Oh i can go on and on but will it suffice to say that i sincerely wish i knew and felt how a free falling in love feels like. And yes i too crave to hear these stories just like you do.
    Thanks Susan not only for this but for most of all that i get to feel and accept through yours.

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    1. Ah, Shivani, I hear you. Love stories do have that magic to transport us to la la land. It's wonderful to see you here and many thanks for coming by dear Shivani.

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  13. A post of this kind was really needed for me. I was thinking few days ago, that although I have lost trust in love, but listening to stories of people successful in love never fails to bring tears in my eyes.
    Mam, I loved the way you write. :)

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    1. Welcome here Anshul. Happy to see you here. Love will soon find you again, dear Anshul. My prayers.

      Thanks for your wonderful words. Highly appreciated.

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  14. I love love stories! They make for such fascinating and engrossing reads and listening to real life stories always fills me with awe! :D

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    1. I know. I also like watching the face of the narrator - how slowly it lights up and memories glow on the face.

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  15. I was at the edge of my seat reading through this post. I couldn't wait to get to your own love story. I thought the description of the young lovers was only to segue to memories of your first love or maybe your first dates with the man who'd become your hubby. I guess that story would be for a future post. I hope you won't keep us waiting too long, Mrs Sus! :)

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    1. Ha Ha Ha, Age. I'll tell my story some day in person ;)

      I dare not write it as a post - personal stuff.

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    2. That would be the most expensive story to hear then, worth a round trip ticket to India. :)

      Btw, sorry off-topic but I've just seen Life of Pi. Have you? Totally blew me away! To stay on-topic though, I think that short segment about Pi and his girlfriend was sweet. Does the girl represent India?

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  16. I love a good love story! It gives me hope I'll have a really good one of my own someday. :)

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  17. Dear Susan, always a delight to stop by here and this post spoke to me truly.;) I love love stories as I live and breath romance and love. I have to admit that my own love life has surpassed all my dreams - I am so in love with my husband and he still takes my breath away, in fact today more than the day we met.:)
    Love the ending to this post, I can imagine how evocative the atmosphere the couples on the stone benches create.
    Happy New Year and have a great weekend,
    xoxo

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    1. Evocative it was and oh! so beautiful. I loved watching them. And, Zuzana, your story is also once such which I would love to sit and listen. Maybe someday . . .

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  18. Yes always, love the love stories... the real ones are more poignant. But M&B's are quite good too... it's nice to read or hear bout love stories, but always use your mind first, logical thinking is better any time over losing your head in the clouds.

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    1. Logic and love don't gel well, Karen. I like hearing them than reading.

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  19. Oh I love a love story. Andy Williams is one of my favourite singers and "Love Story" one of my favourite songs. I absolutely loved the movie too.

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    1. All of us love love-stories, isn't it? Andy Williams is one of my favourites as well.

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  20. 'Love' is one of the most overrated emotions. Only kids who have minimum exposure to the external world/people can 'fall in love'. IMHO.

    Destination Infinity

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    1. Overrated, yes but not untrue. Kids!!! Even 78 year old individuals fall in love. Your IMHO is not justified!

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  21. Love and logic don't mix, Ashwini. The sight did look beautiful - the couples sitting in the stone benches under the lamps.

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  22. Love stories are great. But reality is so away from fiction. We are all seeking a bit of fiction in our lives. Love happens to fill that void. For the initial days, it's so rosy, and then life's monotony and responsibilities take over. But it's a great thing to have someone caring for you, other than your family or friends. I love love stories! :-)

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