Of Late Morning Conversations on Love and Insanity

We were talking about love and relationships in general. She was telling me of her dilemmas, and I was complaining of my current laments. In between all that, I wondered to myself, why is it that I always tend to gravitate towards eccentric and seemingly insane characters. People who clearly have monumental flaws, the kind that most would usually, understandably avoid. My realm of attraction towards oddities doesn't just end at people but extends to all things inanimate. Be it music, books, films. Anything at all.

So I asked her, "What's your take on it?". And she said,

"i guess i like grit. maybe it's because i'm an aggressive person... or that i'm afraid of gentility because it makes me nervous and vulnerable. people can say the right things and then not mean them... but when you're bad, who tries to be bad on purpose? that's when they're real. that's what you have to overcome about a person, their flaws. i guess i like knowing what i'm up against. i like challenges. because i'm used to seeing the good in people, liking them for it... if you can stand a person, be attracted to them when they're flawed then you have little to worry about. the good things about them are good already".

I've had some of the most compelling conversations with her. And this might just be one of those moments that I'll always, always remember. Or at the very least try the hardest to remember. What she said was spot on. Her explanation over that seemingly complex topic was profoundly simple. I liked hearing it, in part, because I too believe the same.

I have always believed that you can never truly and unconditionally love someone until they have hurt you. You will never know someone if you haven't witnessed them in their worst element. You will never be truly happy if you have never sunk to the lowest depths. Emotionally, physically, psychologically and spiritually.

Just as Nietzsche said, "There is some madness in love, but there is some reason in madness".