Friday 5 April 2013

YOUNG LOVE


There are certain things about being young that I miss: minimal to no responsibility (obviously this isn’t true for all young people, but let’s live in the land where things are as they should be), sleeping well, fearlessness, and of course having an arse that sits up on high (eating junk food without repercussions also ranks up there). But it’s the feeling of falling in love (or like/fondness etc) for the first time that I look back on for which I have the most envy (although not young heartbreak, let’s clarify that right now).

You know that first discovery of the opposite sex that ignites those chemical endorphins that sets your heart alight; the ‘I can’t even be in the same room with you or my head will explode’ kind of feeling that is encapsulated by young love. Coupled with all these ‘love’ feelings of course are hormones surging through one’s veins at the speed of light which in combination are a pretty high-octane mix. Then throw in the fact that in youth, love in its pure form can exist with very few distractions or interruptions (such as, ahem, life, kids, bills, taxes, you name it). Not to mention that most youth are un-jaded and new to all this love and emotion stuff and well, soon enough you’ve got yourself a Richard Curtis film.

At the moment my best friend and I are vicariously living through her daughter who is experiencing her first 'soul connection' with a young man (this is not just a crush I assure you). Now to clarify, they are both young and adorably innocent, but the openness and honesty of their feelings towards one another is downright adorable. Most of their relationship is via text and Instagram at this point which means my friend and I are voyeuristic junkies (and eagle-eyed monitors) for their every adorable move. He’s chivalrous and complimentary to such a fine-tuned degree that I am seriously wondering where this kid learned his moves, and she is sweetly composed, adult and dignified. I’m telling you, these two could teach the lot of us about how to conduct ourselves. But the part that gets me the most is watching the unbridled devotion in such a pure and idealistic state; the young devotion that is blind to anything else out there. At the age of 10, they have already pledged to be with one another forever. And if you find yourself ever in their orbit,  you almost believe them. (It must be said that the little girl's mother, my friend, has known her husband since birth and they were each other's first kiss. Got to love that).

Now, I’m not saying we don’t all take this kind of love with us into adulthood. I love my husband truly madly and deeply, but by my age one is carrying quite a bit of luggage whereas love and relationships are concerned and let's just say the bloom has fallen slightly off the idealistic rose. Not to mention, the compliments, devotion and chivalrous behavior can often get mired down by fatigue, routine and the sheer assault of life, laundry and bad traffic - sad but true. Of course, the goal is to make sure you remember to focus on the love bit in spite of life. To remember that no matter where you are in your relationship, it all started with that pure and wonderful seed of ‘omg the mere sight of you is going to make me faint!’

I suppose it’s like anything. Love has an ageing process; it grows and turns into something deeper. Fantastic and solid, but let’s be honest, it is that first spark that we all have achingly fond memories of and sends us running to see the rom-coms and Nicholas Spark’s movies (which are hideously cheesy I will admit). So for now – and until the King develops his first crush (she better be a brunette and have the utmost respect for his mother) -  I happily have a front row seat on Istagram to young love in bloom. By the way, he just asked her out for their first date to see a movie. G rated of course, and he if does so much as touch her, he’s got her mother and me to answer to.

Ah love, ain’t it grand.




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