Sunday, August 16, 2009

Moulin Rouge and Just Loving


Because I cannot find anything better to do right now, I will tell you about a line in Moulin Rouge (and of course is a part of the song Nature Boy). I'd like to think of it as the central thread of the movie: The Greatest Thing You'll Ever Learn is Just to Love and be Loved in Return.

It just sounded so...well, basic. What was a totally basic thing doing in this totally elaborate, imeldific movie?

It's there because it's not as simple as you may think of it. Let's review the actual wording of that statement. The greatest thing you'll ever learn is JUST to love and be loved in return. Why the word "just"? Why not put "to love and be loved in return"? Is it a mere wordplay?

I'd like to think that it's not. It was put there for a reason and that is that the message of the line does not call for people to love someone, but to JUST love someone. Basta mahalin mo na lang. Just do it, for the sake of it. And not because you expect something in return, be it love or whatever else, but because you truly feel that elusive feeling for someone.

But this line pushes the envelope more by saying "and to be loved in return" which is probably the pinnacle of that emotion. That is why, I think, that there are as many songs, poems and uhm, blogs about unrequited loved as requited love. Because feeling either one is already lesson enough to educate anyone about love.

And that's all I have to say about that.

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