It’s been a while since a nice movie line lingered in my mind… some memorable ones came from Julie Delpy playing Celine in Before Sunrise Celine:If there's any kind of magic in this world, it must be in the attempt of understanding someone, sharing something. I know, it's almost impossible to succeed, but... who cares, really? The answer must be in the attempt.” and Claire Danes as Yvaine in Stardust : Yvaine: “My heart... It feels like my chest can barely contain it. Like it's trying to escape because it doesn't belong to me anymore. It belongs to you. And if you wanted it, I'd wish for nothing in exchange - no gifts. No goods. No demonstrations of devotion. Nothing but knowing you loved me too. Just your heart, in exchange for mine”
I’m sure you’ve noticed it… what is common with these lines? Ah yes, it’s about nothing else but love. Great love. I know what you’re thinking… typical. It’s in every girl’s genes, the proverbial pursuit of it… if not struggling to find it… then to tame it, is another activity we like getting into. And just like the typical girl that I am, I was touched again, by another quote… of course of the same topic. In my attempt to make sense of love… I write about a line that I like from the movie Dan in Real Life.
This didn’t come from Dan though, played by Steve Carell. It came from a boy named Marty Barasco: “Love is not a feeling, Mr. Burns. It's an ability”. I was with Joseph when we saw this Movie. The line intrigued me. There was really not a major background in the plot when that line came out… it was just… well, said. I asked Joseph right away… “Gets mo ba? What did you think it meant?”
Now I think I’m starting to get what it means… better late than never. If love is a feeling… like happiness or sadness… then, it would be just as inconsistent. One day you are in love, the next you’re not. But it cannot be… something as fleeting and as fickle cannot be love. Passion may be fleeting… one day you feel so much for X, the next day… may be for Y… or some days you seem to be lacking such feeling, for X, for Y or for anyone in particular. But I don’t think your lack love, just the passion to feel intensely for another. Therefore, should you be feeling like you’re in love… think again. Is it really love… or a simply… a feeling? If love if not a feeling and is an ability… what is an ability really?
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
a·bil·i·ty 
Audio Help /Show Spelled Pronunciation[uh-bil-i-tee] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation əˈbɪlɪti/ Pronunciation
–noun, plural -ties.
| 1. | power or capacity to do or act physically, mentally, legally, morally, financially, etc. |
| 2. | competence in an activity or occupation because of one's skill, training, or other qualification: the ability to sing well. |
| 3. | abilities, talents; special skills or aptitudes: Composing music is beyond his abilities. |
An ability is the power to act, competence because of one’s training or skill. It is something you work around with, you train for, you invest in. Ability to love, as I’ve gathered, is one’s ability to give oneself to others. Jesus loved us, I’m sure this is beyond a feeling. People tortured and killed him, how could he still feel such high favorable emotions for humanity then? No, love must be more than that…. Sacrifice, hard work, maybe even pain… just so you could give, do something, serve… just so you could make another’s life better, so you could make him happy…
I’m leaving this open and hanging like this because this is how I like it. But what I can give is another love quote Dan In Real Life, this time it came from Dan Burns: “What don't I understand, Cara? Please, help me out. What is it? Is it frustrating that you can't be with this person? That there's something keeping you apart? That there's something about this person that you can connect with? And whenever you're near this person, you don't know what to say, and you say everything that's in your mind and in your heart, and you know that if you could just be together, that this person would help you become the best possible version of yourself?”
