Love should be about love

" how can I put this without sounding dumb? The responsability I'm talking about, the responsability which I actually believe in... well, I guess it all comes down to the responsability you have to yourself. Because I really don't know much about life, and I haven't traveled or done anything really interesting... but when I look around me, and listen to my contemporaries talking, all I hear is stuff about how other people will work out life's problem for you. How getting married by the time you're twenty-three is a good thing, because you're suddenly relieved of the burden of making a living, or dealing with personal choice, or even spending time by yourself. Whereas I'm rather scared of the idea of entrusting my entire future to another person. Because, hell, arent't they as faillible as I am? And just as scared?"

I cut myself off. "Am I ranting here?"

Jack threw back his shot of bourbon, and motioned to the bartender for more drinks. "You're doing fine", he said. "Keep going."

"Well, there's not a lot else to say, except that the moment you entrust your happiness to another person, you endanger the very possibility of happiness. You say to the other person, make me feel whole, complete, wanted. But the fact is: only you can make yourself feel whole or complete."

He looked at me straight in the eye.

"So love is not a factor in this question?"

I met his stare.

"Love shouldn't be about dependency, or what you can do for me, or I need you/you need me. Love should be about..."

I was suddenly at a loss for words. Jack threaded his fingers through mine.

"Love should be about love."

'The Pursuit of Happiness' - Douglas Kennedy.

(Picture provided by pixabay, author: Riedelmeier)

#books #quote #love #happiness #truth