Love in the Time of Cholera

When I started reading the book, I found it simplistic - Jorge Amado like - and it was hard to get through the first pages.

I kept looking for the magical realism of flying carpets being as interesting as a bloc of ice as in One Hundred Years of Solitude.

I wished to read a story about Love in its most fairy tale form. A perfect story- which we all already have constructed and embellished in our hearts and minds: Love at first site, the madness, the forbidden love, the suffering, and finally the happy or tragic ending, whichever it may be, as long as it justified and glorified the Love.

But Love in the Time of Cholera taught me - or better yet, my reading it emphasized my own beliefs about Love, I guess - that Love is not a predictable fairy tale.
Instead it is unpleasant - as picturing elderly sex; it is embarrassing - as needing to take a shit on a date; it utterly unfair - because ultimately some never find it, or have it be reciprocal; Love, most certainly hurts - because people cheat, they die, they lie, they are selfish; it is as passionate as unpredictable sex - though this does not require Love; when in a good mood, is the sweetness of watching the sunset holding hands.
Marriage is probably just as about Love as it is about security, accountability, compatibility and luck.

You might have noticed in the list above that negative references to Love outnumber the positive ones. Sweet as watching the sunset is mathematically canceled out by the certainty of getting hurt, the unfairness. As far as the Sex goes...well, I'm sure its different for everybody but Love is not crucial there.

(Yes, I continue to be unable to let go of my generally negative outlook in life)

So why the fuss? Why do we always talk and think and search LOVE?

Because, at least for me, that sunset is not the same alone. I want sex that is not just good but not empty. I'm guessing these are not rare reasons on why we never tire of seeking Love: in a book, in a movie, in a bar, in the eyes of the ones who we wish loved us.

We all look for different things. Some of us want loyalty. Others want devotion, security, partnership, baby, sex, respect, companionship, and conversation, and support.

"Order Combo #5 and you can choose 3 sides"

As for me, I have lost track of my thoughts and I am only certain that the other day Joe said something that reaffirmed that we are in Love.

And that my kind of Love combo includes warmth, with a realistic and cynic twist.

When we were talking about if we were the only ones who we said " I Love you" to, he said:
"Yes" ...I called him a liar and truthfully confessed I had said to others in the past.
So he said:

"We both know its not true, but you don't say it!".

...
"but you know that the best one can do is avoid the worse".