Love Across Borders

This is a Valentine's Day article that teaches one about love. It is truly heartwarming and makes one to stop and think about the many aspects of love that it is not always a straight path it encompasses a lot more. It gave me hope - re enforced everything i have ever believed in about falling in love that it knows no boundaries - distance, race, religion, sexual orientation. I am posting this article here because I believe that there are others out there who need to know that they are not alone, that falling in love with someone of a diffrent faith, race, sexual orientation and what not is nothing new. The message is clear which is having faith and believeing in who you believe in. My chance or the lack there of may have passed but i hope for others it opens up that little window of hope of not giving up ... :) enjoy ...

Celebrate the amazing human ability to Love Across Borders …

In the midst of the candy hearts and rose petals of Valentine’s Day, I’d like to celebrate a kind of love that we don’t often think about. It is the kind that is difficult, painful and heartbreaking, and yet shows the amazing human ability to love across borders and against all odds.

Let me share with you three stories from around me. The first is about a devout Muslim girl who went out into the world to pursue her studies, but never came home. Why? Because she fell in love with an equally spiritual and sensitive young man, but who was studying at a divinity school to become an evangelical priest. She knew that if her parents ever found out, her father would should her, and her mother would bury her. It has been almost 10 years, and her love is still a secret from her family. She has not dared to come home.

The second story is that of an old friend who had a string of boyfriends who could never move her to real passion. One day she found someone who could actually make her lose her mind with lovesickness. But, to the surprise of all of us, and her own especially, this was another woman. The two hid their love from their families for a few years, but one day it came out. When that happened, there were tears, screams and accusations. Mothers drew knives and held them to their daughter’s necks. So this friend also escaped from her family and home.

The third story is about a male friend who fell head over heels in love with a woman whom he found perfect in every way. Except that she was HIV-positive from an infected needle used during a medical procedure. She was not ill by all appearances, but we all understood that her time on earth was limited. However, this did not matter to my friend, who literally chose death each time her kissed her. Again, their relationship has to be kept a secret.

I don’t want to get into a debate about religion or gay rights. I can only speak as a person who has ever fallen in love and lost. And to find that special someone who fills your life- whatever his or her calling, belief, gender, or time limit – is a rare and precious thing.

The problem is not that these friends do not love each other enough, but that there is too much ignorance and intolerance around for them to exercise their freedom to love whom they choose. And as a friend, I miss them and wish they were close to me, where I can watch over them and make sure that they are emotionally well.

So for this Valentine’s Day, I wish all of you who are lucky enough to love someone, the blessing of being able to do so freely and fully. And if you have the good fortune of being in a loving relationship, perhaps you could do something to break down prejudices and stereotypes, to allow others to enjoy the same experience.

Happy Valentine’s Day, in the truest sense.



Source: Shape Magazine February 2006 issue