Very recently I came across a statement, “Only one venom poisons all people- the urge to own.” Is it really true that the urge to own acts like a poison between two people. From a certain perspective it does narrow down ones approach and leaves both the people to think from all but one angle. Thus we can say that it indeed kills desire, kills love, kills friendship and kills kinship. Even if it doesn’t kill, it does make things sour in a lot of cases after a certain point of time. Two people who are best of friends, one fine day become too aware of things between themselves; once they have an urge to claim ownership over one another. All of a sudden perspectives change and a sudden comfort level which used to exist vanishes somewhere with a thick haze hanging around both. It feels as though one needs to be suddenly aware of the things that are to be said and done. In a lot of cases one is found grappling with words initially and with the relationship later.
Abstinence sows sand all over
The ruddy limbs and flaming hair,
But Desire gratified
Plants fruits of life and beauty there.
If this is true then shouldn’t we take desire to be a rite of celebration which all should be savoring; rather than restricting it with a ritual of ownership. As once we restrict it, the desire is trapped between the walls of restriction and the bounds of fidelity. Now, that’s an interesting observation. If all that is said so far seems to be logically true then we can perhaps eliminate the concept of adultery and fornication, altogether. Voila, so we can rid the world of infidelity, in terms of physicality.
How about cherishing desire as a celebration? Not ego, not control and certainly not proprietorship. Imagine…. Desiring without any claim of ownership; as once we gain ownership we might forfeit desire. Seems like a fulsome indulgence, however turgid it might sound.
Thus said William Blake…
What is it men in women to require?
The lineaments of gratified desire.
What is it women do in men require?
The lineaments of gratified desire.
The only problem is that this indulgence though gratifying doesn’t offer any stability and beyond a certain age stability preponderates desire. Desire is very short lived and one gets over it after a certain point of time. Once we transgress over to the newer riper phase of our life we need emotional stability; which can’t thrive without fealty. Also there is no end to desiring as we can go on and on and on, till a point where it becomes sickening and unbearable.
Desire leads to the gratification of the body and never the soul. If we desire without bounds then perhaps love would become inversely proportional. The more we let desire overtake us the further away love would be. We need to love and be loved; or else we will never find contentment.
This reminds me of a soliloquy from one of Shakespeare’s plays …
Nought's had, all's spent,
Where our desire is got without content:
'Tis safer to be that which we destroy
Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.
Abstinence sows sand all over
The ruddy limbs and flaming hair,
But Desire gratified
Plants fruits of life and beauty there.
If this is true then shouldn’t we take desire to be a rite of celebration which all should be savoring; rather than restricting it with a ritual of ownership. As once we restrict it, the desire is trapped between the walls of restriction and the bounds of fidelity. Now, that’s an interesting observation. If all that is said so far seems to be logically true then we can perhaps eliminate the concept of adultery and fornication, altogether. Voila, so we can rid the world of infidelity, in terms of physicality.
How about cherishing desire as a celebration? Not ego, not control and certainly not proprietorship. Imagine…. Desiring without any claim of ownership; as once we gain ownership we might forfeit desire. Seems like a fulsome indulgence, however turgid it might sound.
Thus said William Blake…
What is it men in women to require?
The lineaments of gratified desire.
What is it women do in men require?
The lineaments of gratified desire.
The only problem is that this indulgence though gratifying doesn’t offer any stability and beyond a certain age stability preponderates desire. Desire is very short lived and one gets over it after a certain point of time. Once we transgress over to the newer riper phase of our life we need emotional stability; which can’t thrive without fealty. Also there is no end to desiring as we can go on and on and on, till a point where it becomes sickening and unbearable.
Desire leads to the gratification of the body and never the soul. If we desire without bounds then perhaps love would become inversely proportional. The more we let desire overtake us the further away love would be. We need to love and be loved; or else we will never find contentment.
This reminds me of a soliloquy from one of Shakespeare’s plays …
Nought's had, all's spent,
Where our desire is got without content:
'Tis safer to be that which we destroy
Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.
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