Photo: D. Paul Graham, ‘L’amour à Paris’, circa 1994

“Monday 5 Things”™ ….. Marches Lentes et Amour Profond …..

I’ve shared this image on the ‘gram a few years ago. It’s one of my favorites. I followed the couple for some time in Paris in 1994. They moved deliberately but in synchronicity with each other. Each step matching the other’s in time. Every now and then they would stop and take a quick break and she would slip her arm into his. And they would just look at each other. No words. Just a look. Your scribe is an unabashed hopeless romantic and that image of the couple personifies what I hope love and tenderness will look like for me at that age. At any age actually. This morning’s M5T is inspired by a Parisian couple, who I assume have long since passed, framed with quotes of others who have a way with words about love.

1. Giving

“You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving. The great acts of love are done by those who are habitually performing small acts of kindness. We pardon to the extent that we love. Love is knowing that even when you are alone, you will never be lonely again. And great happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved. Loved for ourselves. And even loved in spite of ourselves.”~ Victor Hugo, Les Misérables

2. If Only

“How many times can I say / You don’t have to change a thing / Don’t let the tide wash you away / Don’t let worry ever clip your wings / Discard what is fake, keep what is real / Pursue what you love, embrace how you feel / If only you could love yourself the way that I love you” ~ ‘The Way That I Love You’, Passenger.

3. Rising

“Love wants to rise, not to be held down by anything base… He who loves flies, runs, and rejoices; he is free and nothing holds him back. Derive happiness from yourself, from a good day’s work, from the clearing that it makes in the fog that surrounds us.” ~ Henri Matisse

4. Madness

“When you fall in love, it is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake, and then it subsides. And when it subsides, you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots are to become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is… Love itself is what is left over, when being in love has burned away. Doesn’t sound very exciting, does it? But it is!” ~ Louis de Bernières, Corelli’s Mandolin

5. A Hope

“I hope you get to experience the kind of love that makes you a better person. The kind of love that makes you so flooded with it that you want to give it to everyone around you. The one that makes you happy and content to the extent that you want to make everyone around you feel exactly the same way. I hope you get to experience the kind of love that makes you blossom and glow. The one that makes you feel so damn comfortable in your own skin. The one that doesn’t make you feel the need to ever apologize for who you are. The one that makes you fall in love with yourself and with the world once again. The one that makes you feel safe and at peace. The kind of love that doesn’t make you question your worth or question anything else but just gives you complete peace of mind. And I hope that you will be ready to accept all that it’s willing to offer you. I hope that you let it make you trust again. I hope that you let it change you to the better. I hope that you let it in. And I hope that you acknowledge the fact that you are worthy of this kind of love.” ~ Rowan Abdelmeguid, Thought Catalog

Here’s to a week of long walks and deeper love, starting with loving yourself. Happy Valentine’s Day!

© 2023 D. Paul Graham, all rights reserved.

For over 11 years, D. Paul Graham has published “Monday 5 Things” ™, also known to readers as M5T.

You can reach Paul by email at dpg@imagegraham.com