I've done a lot of posts lately about love, about how love has been reflected in art, I mean painting, sculpture, and photography. It turns out that I haven't been directly about love, but more about how love stories and famous characters have been inspirations for artists.
Then, courtesy of @galenkp and his Weekend-Engagement topics: WEEK 171 I discovered a quote attributed to Peter Ustinov...
Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit.
First of all Peter Ustinov. I was suddenly reminded of this great actor, of his bonome figure radiating kindness, and, above all, of his velvety and extraordinarily pleasant voice. I don't remember what films I saw him in, just as I don't remember so much from my youth. I could search the internet but I don't want to. This is my little revenge against forgetfulness. If I've forgotten... forgotten to stay!
It's a wonderful quote!
It can be understood in many ways. Is it referring to love in general? Or does it refer to love between two people, a couple or a family?
I'm sure opinions are divided on this and I want to say that I think he is referring to love for his partner and I think this quote is somewhat autobiographical, that is, it refers to him and his life. That it is an understanding and a conclusion of his life experience.
What can a quote be but a result of knowledge passed through the filter of thought, intelligence, observation, and, of course, the talent to tell it in a special literary form?
I like to think that this quote refers strictly to the couple's relationship, where at least one of the lovers has come to this conclusion. That love is an endless act of forgiveness.
In order to be able to forgive endlessly I think you have to have at least two qualities: to be free of vanity and to be unselfish! Because both vanity and selfishness (i.e. self-love) will prevent you from forgiving everything, even the person you love.
I've been married for 45 years... I wish I could celebrate half a century.
This quote by Ustinov got me thinking...
I didn't even realize it, but the fact that we've been together for so many years also means that my wife and I have forgiven each other. I say that because we still love and respect each other, it even seems like we love each other more now!
But I don't believe that any marriage or relationship that has lasted for many years has been the result of forgiveness. There are so many examples of relationships that exist even if forgiveness doesn't. Sometimes they exist mostly because forgiveness doesn't exist and people want revenge on each other. Painful!
Peter says even more...
Tenderness becomes a habit.
Forgiveness and tenderness!
What more could two people want?
The ideal of a happy life!
I hope forgiveness and tenderness were part of Ustinov's life. I hope he didn't think of such a true and wonderful quota as an unfulfilled wish.
This quote made me think of a Jacque Brel song. A song about love in a couple who have reached old age. Even though the lyrics of the song describe a troubled love story where it is not clear if there is forgiveness. But the chorus is all about tenderness and the fact that despite the fact that there have been many break-ups, in the end, it is such a beautiful declaration of love...
Oh, mon amour
Mon doux, mon tendre, mon merveilleux amour
De l'aube claire jusqu'à la fin du jour
Je t'aime encore tu sais
Je t'aime
Jacques Brel - La chanson des vieux amants
Oh, my love
My sweet, my tender, my wonderful love
From the clear dawn to the end of the day
I still love you you know
I still love you
... which proves that forgiveness has always existed between them.
This is one of the most beautiful love songs, in my opinion!
I enyojed my time reading you! Thanks for sharing that love song, i didn't heard it before. As you said, not all relationships are entirely based on forgiveness (let alone something like tenderness), but when they do, that's what i call pure love. A relationship without it it's just far away from love.
Thank you! In fact, Peter Ustinov's quote is superb, it's hard to be the same in our lives but we must aspire to get there.
This was a beautiful read, love and and forgiveness are two things that gets the world going
And you have nailed it where you said any marriage that had lasted for long is solely built on forgiveness and love which is the ultimate
The love song mon amour is such a beautiful song
The song is wonderful. Glad you like it!
This is the way of living that we should forgive others then only then people will forgive us too.
This doesn't always happen.
Yeah you are right.