Destructive Love

I love the movie Becoming Jane. I love it because I believe it has profound truths to present. The movie is all about lost love. "Okay," you may be thinking, "there are plenty of movies about lost love, most of which involve death. Haha pleasant." But wait. Becoming Jane is not a retelling of Romeo and Juliet screaming "we can't have each other so lets just die!" In this portrayal, Jane Austen is wise enough to recognize the destructive potential of her relationship with Tom Lefroy. They love each other, but Jane protests that "a love that destroys your family will eventually destroy itself." Our culture is saturated with love. But it is a selfish and destructive love that considers only the present flutterings of the heart. It cares nothing for the feelings of others or of future results.

This love also refuses to be wise and acknowledge the red lights that are flashing ahead. In the popular Twilight series Bella Swan is faced with what seems like a choice between two romantic opportunities. Girls showing interest in the story claim to be either "Team Edward" or "Team Jacob". But I would claim to be neither. It is terribly distressing because both relationships are destructive. On the one hand we have the vampire who only shows interest in her because he can't read her mind and likes the way her blood smells. And on the other we have the loyal werewolf who cares for her but at the slightest loss of temper could kill her.

Our culture tells us that what we feel is more important than reason. But even when we do not get what we want we still have reason to live. In Becoming Jane, Jane Austen goes on to become one of the worlds most famous authors and Tom Lefroy becomes a Chief Justice in England. Perhaps it may have worked out for them to be together, but even with the choice that led them on separate paths, they lived meaningful and productive lives that blessed many. They chose to put others before their own desires and they both lived blessed lives. We are never told what would have happened had we chose different paths. But we can always be assured that when we put others first our lives will be full of meaning and purpose.