Heart Lessons

Here are some words from author William Goldman, and his memories of the first time he ever saw "Porgy and Bess."

"My family went and we sat there and if you don't know the story, it's about this cripple, Porgy, who can't walk, and he gets around on this pathetic goat cart, towed by a scrawny goat, and we're someplace in the Deep South. Porgy is hopelessly in love with Bess, a beautiful woman, but weak. Toward the end, Porgy is sent to jail (he saved his friends by murdering the village monster) and while he is there, Bess is wooed by a pusher, Sportin' Life, who, using drugs as a lure, steals her away, takes her to New York City, which is the other end of the universe as far as anyone in this village is concerned.

"Porgy gets out of jail, and I am dreading the moment when he finds out Bess is gone. I mean, cripples don't win beauties in this world, not unless they are very rich indeed, and Porgy is a beggar. So he is out of jail and I am so scared for him, his life is over, how is he going to survive his loss, and he chitchats with the villagers and then he says it -- where's Bess?

"No one wants to answer but finally he finds out ... Bess is gone, she is gone forever, gone to New York City.

"Silence in the theatre. Then Porgy says these three amazing words:

" 'Bring my goat.' "

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LESSONS OF THE HEART

Love is not the latest ballad on the radio
It is the song of a lifetime

Love is not the size of the rock on the finger of a girl
It is the size of the rock you move to repair the relationship

Love is not the fairy tale that ends with "happily ever after"
It is the very real hand that wipes away the tears

Love is not to be found in the spotlight
It is waiting in the shadows

Love is not winning the argument
It is listening with an open mind and an open heart

Love is not flowers or candy
It is truth and honesty

Love is not a treasure you find
It is a commitment to the quest

Love is not expensive restaurants
It is the sacrifices made to feed a child

Love is not the dream come true
It is chasing the nightmares away

Love is not the success of money
It is the failure to find fault when you have none

Love is not the perfect picture
It is acceptance of all the flaws

[from MountainWings - with a few wee, tiny rewrites from yours truly - via Molly Rhea's Quotes of the Day]

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WORDS for YOUR WEEK: "Love is a symbol of eternity. It wipes out all sense of time, destroying all memory of a beginning and all fear of an end." (Author Unknown)

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You'd love your own subscription which you can get by clicking here. Thanks to "Delancey Place" for the William Goldman quote.