Lovecanforbear,andLovecanforgive...butLovecanneverbereconciledtoanunlovelyobject...

He
canneverthereforebereconciledtoyoursin,becausesinitselfisincapableofbeingalteredbutHe
maybereconciledtoyourperson,becausethatmayberestored.

Traherne.
CenturiesofMeditation,
II,30.

Whenwefallinlovewithawoman,doweceasetocarewhethersheiscleanordirty,fairorfoul?Dowe
notratherthenfirstbegintocare?Doesanywomanregarditasasignofloveinamanthatheneither
knowsnorcareshowsheislooking?Lovemay,indeed,lovethebelovedwhenherbeautyislost:but
notbecauseitislost.Lovemayforgiveallinfirmitiesandlovestillinspiteofthem:butLovecannot
ceasetowilltheirremoval.Loveismoresensitivethanhatreditselftoeveryblemishinthebelovedhis
"feelingismoresoftandsensiblethanarethetenderhornsofcockledsnails".Ofallpowersheforgives
mostbuthecondonesleast:heispleasedwithlittle,butdemandsall.

C.S.Lewis,TheProblemofPain,DivineGoodness

Thereisnosafeinvestment.Toloveatallistobevulnerable.Loveanything,andyourheartwill
certainlybewrungandpossiblybebroken.Ifyouwanttomakesureofkeepingitintact,you
mustgiveyourhearttonoone,noteventoananimal.Wrapitcarefullyroundwithhobbiesand
littleluxuriesavoidallentanglementslockitupsafeinthecasketorcoffinofyourselfishness.
Butinthatcasketsafe,dark,motionless,airlessitwillchange.Itwillnotbebrokenitwill
becomeunbreakable,impenetrable,irredeemable.Thealternativetotragedy,oratleasttothe
riskoftragedy,isdamnation.TheonlyplaceoutsideHeavenwhereyoucanbeperfectlysafefrom
allthedangersandperturbationsofloveisHell.

C.S.Lewis
,
TheFourLoves