To love a person. . .
Aug. 12, 2024
“To love a person is to learn the song that is in their heart and to sing it to them when they have forgotten.” – Arne Garborg
I wrote this quote by Norweigan author Arne Garborg on a piece of paper and tucked it in my wallet. It was lovely enough to read and save and read again. The words tell a whole story in a single sentence.
Someone has lost the very thing that makes them want to get up in the morning and embrace the day. An unknown circumstance has created deep and profound loss. Their light is extinguished, their song is dead.
The fix comes along in the form of a tender friend, someone who knows this person’s heart. The friend rekindles a single note of a melody that resonates and unspools into a full-throated song. Our protagonist is reminded that the sun is shining, the birds chirping, strangers are smiling. It’s like a rebirth.
That sounds like the plot for a novel. You fill in the blanks. Or maybe the quote is enough to get you excited about whatever it is that lights you up. For me, it inspired a romantic scene in my novel, gave it texture and depth. I was glad I saved it.
