There's something about romance movies, isn't there? I always hear people say, "Oh, please don't make me watch that sappy love story," blaming their disinclination on the fact that it reminds them of their own love life (or lack thereof). Every movie leaves its impact on the viewer, whether its comedy is something to be quoted, its action is necessary to be discussed, or its cleverness is to be marveled. When it comes to a well plotted love story, people may talk about its "cuteness" or profundity, but there's always something about it that intrigues the heart that even if we don't talk about it, we subconsciously are bewildered by the concept of love and are inspired to discover its true meaning.
Certain live theatre productions are more impacting than any movie about love. Each work shows a different side of love. For example, the musical Rent portrays love between AIDS victims, including hetero- and homosexuals. Many Shakespeare plays, especially Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Midsummer Night's Dream, depict unconventional love between two characters that don't belong together in the eyes or laws of society. The musical Wicked shows how two people who essentially loathe each other can become best friends beyond any measure.
The music we hear outside of our body can greatly - sometimes entirely - influence the music we have within our souls. The songs of strong love have the power to make us view the world differently, and sometimes even transcend it. They have the power to make us ponder beyond the tangible, beyond the obvious, to what is within us that makes us desire love so much.
Without you, the hand gropes, the ear hears, the pulse beats.
Without you, the eyes gaze, the legs walk, the lungs breathe...
The mind churns, the heart yearns...
The tears dry, without you.
Life goes on, but I'm gone, 'cause I die without you.
This is a powerful moment between Mimi and Roger of Rent in the song "Without You." Moments like these truly increase one's intrigue of what is within us that makes us desire another without condition or limitation. What is it that makes us yearn for someone else to the extreme of possible death if we are not near them?
I've heard it said that people come into our lives
for a reason, bringing something we must learn,
and we are led to those who help us most to grow
if we let them, and we help them in return.
Well I don't know if I believe that's true,
but I know I'm who I am today,
because I knew you...
It well may be that we will never meet again in this lifetime,
so let me say before we part,
so much of me is made from what I've learned from you;
you'll be with me like a handprint on my heart.
And now whatever way our stories end,
I know you have rewritten mine
by being my friend.
This touching moment between Elphaba and Glinda of Wicked during the song "For Good" summarizes a profound relationship between two friends who have realized that their love has made each of them unlimited in their own life path. Upon hearing this song and feeling its impact, one (subconsciously) considers his or her own life path and and the people who have been of influence and help along the way.
Music and lyrics have a powerful impact on the human subconscience. The way a song is harmonized, its impacting lyrics and syncronizing melodies, speaks directly to the soul, thus influencing the music within. Love is the harmony of the song within; it's what drives us to do what we think is right..it's also what drives us crazy when things don't fall into place the way we want them to.
There's only us, there's only this;
forget regret, or life is yours to miss.
No other path, no other way, no day but today.
I can't control my destiny..
Will I lose my dignity, will someone care? Will I wake tomorrow from this nightmare?
There's only us, there's only this;
give in to love, or live in fear.
No other road, no other way, no day but today.
These lines from the song "No Day But Today" in Rent are desperate for something more than life as we experience it day by day. Something more meaningful, more transcending. We make mistakes so that we can use their lessons later in life to help us find the road we must travel. If we never find that road, we only have one destination to dread: death. Death of the spirit. If we never understand the purpose of love, we will never become alive. "How do you measure the life of a woman or a man?" ("Seasons of Love," Rent) We can't even be counted as living if we don't have love.
Something has changed within me, something is not the same.
I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game.
Too late for second guessing, too late to go back to sleep.
It's time to trust my instincts; close my eyes and leap.
It's time to try defying gravity. I think I'll try defying gravity,
and you can't pull me down.
These are the words Elphaba of Wicked sings in the song "Defying Gravity" when she realizes that the only solution to getting on her correct life path involves going against what everyone else considers the norm. This song makes one consider how he or she attempts to fill the emptiness within the soul. Everyone has a cause, something to live and breathe for every day, but have they considered that no matter how much they try to convince themselves that their lives have meaning, they still feel empty at the end of the day if they don't have love?
"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." We need help in loving all people around us; friends, enemies, family and acquaintances. The only way to do this is to acknowledge that this love is a gift from above and we must accept it and devote our lives to it. If we don't, we're not trusting that love to bring good things into our lives; we're choosing not to listen to that song in our souls that was given to us from our creator.
