A few months ago while in Prague - Okay, before y'all think all this mofo do is travel, you're wrong, I actually work a normal 9-5 job too, and work pretty hard at that - now that we've gotten that part outta the way, a few months ago while in Prague I came across a pedestrian bridge in the Mala Strana district riddled with locks. Think locks of love in Paris on the Pont des Arts before they were outlawed because they were weighing down the ironwork and causing safety concerns for the passing ships beneath the bridge. Journeying back to Prague, one particular lock spoke to me more than the thousands of others artfully installed on the bridge. Seeing "40 YEARS" carefully etched in what seemed to be one of those high-end paint like permanent markers on a shiny chrome lock in the prettiest of pinks kinda made me melt. The feelings and emotions that came over me felt a bit otherworldly. Generally speaking, I am not the super sappy type, but don't get it fucked up, I am far from devoid of feelings and emotions either. I am actually pretty emotionally intelligent and hella in touch with my shit, but to add a bit of context, I was traveling through Europe with who at that point would have been my newly minted fiance, so I am sure that had something to do with it. Needless to say, all of this got me thinking about love, discovery, and longevity.
There really is something extremely amazing and sexy about being locked in step, both with ourselves and with another human for that matter for 40 years. The thought of someone having your back and you theirs for such a long period of time brings me loads of warmth and happiness. I am not sure if it's because so often these days, outside of on the Hallmark Channel, love and romance seem so short lived and fleeting or if it's because reasons for breakups and divorces seem to be the topic of conversation before you've even ordered dessert on the first date. Whether that's more true than false or if it's just my twisted imagination, I am choosing to believe that a 40 YEAR love is not only plausible but possible. Sure it takes work, time, effort, patience, therapy, self-awareness, control, passion and a host of other shit, but if for the lovers in lock-step in Prague, why not for you and I.
As relate-able as that may be for some or as far-fetched as that may be for others, I am choosing to believe that like with anything else that's worth its weight in salt it starts with us believing that we can quickly be followed by us putting forth the effort and actions to see it through.
So whether your journey of love has been 40 SECONDS, 40 MINUTES, 40 HOURS, 40 DAYS, 40 MONTHS, OR 40 YEARS please cherish and appreciate it. If nothing else, I am certain that regardless of our differences in gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, religion, or socio-economics, we can all agree that there's nothing wrong with a world filled locks and locks of love.
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