Love is like a seed

Recently, I’ve read a meaningful post on http://sethadamsmith.com/2013/11/02/marriage-isnt-for-you/, and the author said “… To all who are reading this article—married, almost married, single, or even the sworn bachelor or bachelorette—I want you to know that marriage isn’t for you. No true relationship of love is for you. Love is about the person you love.”

I’m touched by his honest account of how he had arrived at this conclusion. It reminded me of the pair, Candy and Albert. They started out as good friends, but over time, their genuine care, deep concern, and constant support for each other during adversities have planted love seeds in their hearts without knowing it.

For example, after Candy had returned from New York heartbroken and ill, Albert wanted to cook something special for her to cheer her up, but his mind was too preoccupied with such thoughts that he didn’t see a car coming towards him. After knowing about the car accident, Candy left her place in a haste that she had forgotten to change out of her pajamas or grab a winter coat. When Dr. Martin became aware that she had high fever, she told the doctor not to care about her now because Albert was more important.

Another case was the lion attack incident. When Albert realized that Candy was shedding silent tears while bandaging him, their conversation after that was very touching. She complained with teary eyes that he had been reckless because the lion could have easily killed him. When the lion had pounced on her, he should have run instead. He defended himself saying that he couldn’t possibly do that. (Note that some manga versions are slightly different here, in which Candy blamed herself. She said that if only she had escaped successfully he wouldn’t have been injured.)

While Albert tried to comfort her by smiling and ruffling her hair affectionately, she said inwardly that she had been immensely worried about his safety. These two examples showed how much they cared about each other.

Love is like a seed, which needs nurture and care. It’s something that takes patience, understanding, and compassion. If both partners are willing to put some efforts, in time, the relationship will bloom beautifully to show the world what can grow from these small seeds.

The pictures are found in the Korean version of the Candy Candy manga. Please note that the second picture was flipped. In the original Japanese manga version, the lion left gashes near Albert’s heart.