I have been reading The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, a book given to me over a decade ago by a lover, and I have kept it since then, maybe glancing at it a few times, never really giving it a proper reading. It managed to make it to my bedside table as a “must read” item, in a stack with other “must reads” as well. And then recently, when my mind was troubled and I was I need of a prayer to help with meditation and calm me before my slumber, I grabbed the book and began reading.
The Prophet is arranged in sections according to the life event which is described. It is not a book to just be read, but one that is to be slowly enjoyed, reflected upon, and not read cover to cover in one or two sittings. The soul reaches out to the book when and where needed, and the reader should savor one or two sections and let the poetic words of Gibran soak into their souls.
Naturally, I jumped to certain sections, one of which is love. Surprisingly to me, the advice is not exactly what I expected; he stresses a state of independence more prevalent than I’m used to. Gibran says that two people should be two people interacting together and enjoying love without combining their souls and lives entirely. It is almost as if love is one aspect of life to be enjoyed and that our independence is of equal if not paramount importance. As with any literature, the words are the opinions of the author and it is up to the reader to take the wheat and burn the chafe, leaving the wisdom that is right for them.
My take-away from Gibran’s wisdom is that we must be solid on our own feet, secure with ourselves and who we are, before engaging another individual in a life journey involving love. One plus one equals two, a healthy relationship does not “complete” individuals, but compliments them. While I think this is easy enough to intellectualize, in practice, it is not always so easy since emotions don’t follow rules. Nonetheless, it is a good thing to know in theory and utilize when the waters of a relationship are calm. Habits are easier to follow in difficult moments when they are in fact, habit!
Most importantly, I think that we must remember that love is a bit of a mystery and the ways of the heart are not always understood or known.