Hold Lightning
Antonio Canova, Cupid and Psyche, 1793. WikiArt, public domain.
I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life; - Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Love stories have woven their spell through the heart of man from the beginning of time. Adam and Eve were the first soulmates, God having created a woman uniquely suited for Adam. Descended from them, we long for our own perfect love. Yet, like Adam and Eve’s ardent bond, it can be tragically marred by loss.
As part of humanity’s lore, we trace the arc of real-life love stories through history. We see this union of love and loss through personal letters. Robert Browning rescued Elizabeth Barrett from the isolation of infirmity. Their devotion inspired the classic Sonnets From the Portuguese. But Elizabeth was disinherited by her father and estranged from her family after marrying Robert. Edward VIII was King of England for less than a year. He abdicated the throne because he couldn’t remain king and marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcée. Of three other British kings who walked away from the throne, he was the only one who did it for love. Abelard and Héloïse found they were intellectual equals when Abelard began to tutor Héloïse. But when they fell in love, they betrayed her uncle’s trust by marrying in secret. They were forced to seek the seclusion of a convent and monastery after relinquishing their child to the care of family members.
Along with real-life love stories, the ones they inspire through the arts do not fare much better. In literature, we see Penelope fending off aggressive suitors while waiting long years for Odysseus’ return; Keats’ Madeline pines for Porphyro, her family’s sworn enemy; and Cupid’s kiss wakes Psyche from the enchanted sleep caused by Venus’ jealousy. In Les Misérables, we read of Marius and Cosette’s growing romance:
“Destiny, with its mysterious and fatal patience, was slowly bringing these two beings closer, fully charged and languishing with the stormy electricities of passion, these two souls holding love as two clouds hold lightning, which were to meet and mingle in a glance like clouds in a flash.”
Our impassioned stories, real or imagined, are touched by the sorrow of the broken world. Yet, we long for our soulmate to find us, to share this glorious and troubling life. Where did this yearning come from? Why do we long for a kindled passion like Porphyro and Madeline’s?
Meantime, across the moors, Had come young Porphyro, with heart on fire For Madeline.
We see this desire at every turn, in letters and archives, literary masterpieces, romantic comedies, songs, and children’s movies. It’s an echo of Christ’s love for us, imprinted on our hearts. Our desire for a soulmate reveals our longing for His unconditional love.
The fiery love Porphyro evokes in the heart of humankind is fragile. But Keats’ poetic imagery points us to something sure:
Awake! arise! my love, and fearless be, For o'er the southern moors I have a home for thee.
Soulmate love is a flame flickering in the winds of the world. But it bears witness to the heart-on-fire love we’ll know when Christ brings us to a home with Him in heaven.