“There’s no shadow you won’t light up,
Mountain you won’t climb up, coming after me.
There’s no wall you won’t kick down,
Lie you won’t tear down, coming after me. “
_Reckless Love
She looked at her mum with tears in her eyes. It had happened again and she wasn’t sure what she was to do. Her heart hurt badly and the tears just wouldn’t stop coming. What did she do wrong? What was she not getting? What were they missing?
“Mum?” she called, sniffling.
“Yes, dear.” Her mum had the kindest eyes she had ever seen. She was so full of wisdom. Of course, she’d have a solution.
“Mum, what is Love?” she asked, summoning all the courage she had left, after a heartbreaking night.
“Hmmm… Love… Come over here, Oyin. I’ll tell you all I know about love.” She patted the empty space beside her on the couch and beckoned her 17-year old daughter to come closer.
Oyin slowly stood from where she was on the single couch. She walked over to where her mum sat, and fell into the couch. She looked at her mum, still sniffling.
“Alright, Mum. I’m listening.”
“So, we have perverted a lot of things. Religion, concepts, and even words. We’ve found a way to twist these things to suit our desires. We bend them to serve our needs. Love is not what it seems to be, neither is it what those Korean Movies you watch have painted it to be. In fact, Oyin, Love is not a thing.”
“It’s not?” she asked, perplexed.
“It’s not. Love is a person.” Her mum said, smiling.
“A person? Mum what are you talking about now?” Her mum had the habit of speaking in a weird way. It was almost as if she saw the whole world from a different perspective.
“Just listen, dear. I’ll tell you a short story. Get me a glass of water first.”
“Okay mum.” She went to the kitchen and brought back a glass of water.
“Thank you.” She took the glass back and eagerly sat down, waiting to devour her mum’s new story.
“There was a Being who lived a long time ago. He once saw a young human child abandoned in the forest. The baby’s cries were too heartbreaking for him to leave the child there. This Being was not human and so, he did not live among humans. He lived in a large beautiful garden he had made out of some part of the forest with other beings, lesser than Him. He picked up this child and cradled it with Love. He never let the baby out of His sight. Before the child got hungry, he was already feeding her. Before she needed anything, he had provided it for her. The baby grew up in paradise. She was always happy as this Being never stopped cradling her in his arms and singing over her. The Being always looked after her. She was loved and she knew it. She called him Father, and he called her child. They were a happy family.
This baby grew to be a beautiful young lady indeed. She became quite tall and started noticing something she had not seen before. It seemed like a hill, afar off, with glittering lights. It almost seemed like the lights were calling her.
“Dad, what’s that?” She pointed to the hilly thing.
“It’s really dangerous. Don’t go there. I’ll explain when you’re older.” She nodded and seemed to have completely listened to him, but curiosity would not let her rest. She just wanted to see what was on the hill. Some time passed and she came to him again.
“Dad. Please I just want to see what’s there. I’ll quickly go and come back.” she pleaded.
“Child, no. You could die. Don’t go, please.” She promised him she wouldn’t go.
The next day, he began looking for her. It had never happened before— she was always in the garden. Today was a strange day. Had she gone to that hill he warned her against?
He soon began running. The huge Being was running towards the hill, hoping to save her before it was too late. While he was running to rescue his child, some evil creatures sighted him. They had always known that he was in that garden, but today, he had walked into their lair. They began to throw darts at him. Huge darts. With every hit, he felt the pain, but he just kept on running. He had to get to her.”
“But mum, if he was so huge and powerful, why didn’t he save himself?” Oyin asked.
“He could have saved himself but she was all he was thinking about. If he stopped to give them a thrashing, he would probably have been too late to save her. That was what he thought. So, he took all of the arrows for her. Soon, they began insulting him, calling him names. They ridiculed him but he didn’t pay them any attention. He had to save her.
He faced even more obstacles. Mountains came up to prevent him from going, but he just climbed them over. Thorns pricked his feet and blood gushed out but he didn’t even notice. He just had to save her. He ran after her with all that he had and all that he was. This child had to come back home.
Soon, he saw her afar off. She was also running. She glanced back and saw him and her pace suddenly increased.
She was running from him. Tears flooded his eyes. He had to save her. She had no idea where she was headed. His heart broke as she ran even farther away from him. He didn’t stop running. Soon, she got to where she was going and was immediately attacked by the creatures that dwelt there. They hit her all over and were just about to devour her, like the cannibals that they were when he showed up, beaten, bloody and teary.
He fought them off her and by the time he was done, they were all dead and she was safe again. She looked at him and now, she was crying. He came after her.
“Dad, you came after me.” She was crying profusely now.
“Yes, I did. And I’ll come after you anytime.” He said and slumped. He dropped dead right before her.
That’s the end of that story dear. What do you think?” Her mum asked.
“He died?” Oyin asked, sniffling for a different reason now.
“Yes. But he woke up three days after.”
“Mum! That sounds familiar.”
Her mum chuckled slightly. That’s because it’s familiar. That Being’s name is Love. He’s the definition of Love. His Love is reckless and overwhelming. No matter what it takes, He’s always going to be there, running after us. If you’re looking for Love, Oyin, if you’re looking for True Love, you need to find Him first. He’ll teach you His Love. He’ll teach you what Love is.
That’s what I know about love, dear.
Oyin looked at her mum. This wasn’t what she was expecting. She didn’t know what to make of this definition, but she was sure she’d never forget that story.
An amazing story … beautiful told. His love is indeed reckless and unending.