I read a story once- in a comic book- about a beautiful woman who lived on a planet that was on the verge of technology that would take its people to an entirely new plateau of existence. They would soon evolve to become advanced beings, and so, the lord of the dream world fell in love with this beautiful woman who lived on this planet. In this story, he took this woman as his lover- and in the beginnings of their courtship, took her to a gathering in another realm.

This gathering was attended by other magnificent beings-including the manifestation of her planet’s Sun. She did not know who he was at first, but felt as though she had known him her entire life. The story concludes with the Sun declaring that he had loved her, her entire life, and that he watched over her and kept her warm from afar. And, that if she would have him, he would love her forever more. Sadly for the king of dreams, she accepted, and the two left the gathering together to be as one.

I find this type of romance to be the most alluring. Longing, devotion, declarations. Not to mention the idea of someone loving you from afar. If these things happen in real life, they are hardly ever admitted to- and if they are, a restraining order usually follows. It seems as though few people open their heart. I know that there is so much hurt in the world- and that if you open your heart some of the bad things may enter just by chance. So we close ourselves off. We harden. We brick each other off with each breath so that we may protect our inner selves from the cold grasp of sadness and hurt.

I wonder if there is a way to keep an open heart, but still remain protected?