We all make vows, Jimmy. And there is something very beautiful and touching and noble about wanting good impulses to be permanent and true forever, " she said. "Most of us stand up and vow to love, honor and cherish someone. And we truly mean it, at the time. But two or twelve or twenty years down the road, the lawyers are negotiating the property settlement." "You and George didn't go back on your promises." She laughed. "Lemme tell ya something, sweetface. I have been married at least four times, to four different men." She watched him chew that over for a moment before continuing, "They've all been named George Edwards but, believe me, the man who is waiting for me down the hall is a whole lot different animal from the boy I married, back before there was dirt. Oh, there are continuities. He has always been fun and he has never been able to budget his time properly and - well, the rest is none of your business." "But people change, " he said quietly. "Precisely. People change. Cultures change. Empires rise and fall. Shit. Geology changes! Every ten years or so, George and I have faced the fact that we have changed and we've had to decide if it makes sense to create a new marriage between these two new people." She flopped back against her chair. "Which is why vows are such a tricky business. Because nothing stays the same forever. Okay. Okay! I'm figuring something out now." She sat up straight, eyes focused somewhere outside the room, and Jimmy realized that even Anne didn't have all the answers and that was either the most comforting thing he'd learned in a long time or the most discouraging. "Maybe because so few of us would be able to give up something so fundamental for something so abstract, we protect ourselves from the nobility of a priest's vows by jeering at him when he can't live up to them, always and forever." She shivered and slumped suddenly, "But, Jimmy! What unnatural words. Always and forever! Those aren't human words, Jim. Not even stones are always and forever. .Mary Doria Russell
About This Quote
This quote is an excellent depiction of the idea that no words are permanent. That is, even though we are able to express emotions, they are very temporary. We are all humans with similar emotions and feelings to one another. If someone were to say, "I love you always and forever", it would be difficult for them to define what they mean by those words.
A person who loves should never expect that their love will endure for all of time. Instead, they should take the time to search for their soul mate. The best way to do this is to use the phrase "I love you like a heart needs a beat." This expression doesn't try to be too romantic or too cheesy; instead this phrase allows the speaker to explain exactly what they feel.
The phrase also gives hope for those who think that their love will last forever; it lets them know that true love isn't always permanent, but something that will last as long as your heart keeps beating.
Source: The Sparrow
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