It is an Ever Fixed Mark

For Scribbled Lives this week we were asked to use words by William Shakespeare and were required to include an illuminated letter. OHHH! So many choices, and so hard to narrow it down to just one. One of my favorite movies is Sense and Sensibility starring Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet. Shakespeare’s 116 Sonnet is a focus during several scenes, so I chose that one. Here is the portion of the sonnet that I utilized:

Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments. Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove. Oh no, it is an ever fixed mark.

– William Shakespeare 1616
Sonnet 116

An illuminated letter is usually the first letter of a text, enlarged to emphasis the beginning, and includes gold leaf, elaborate marks and color. As I have never illuminated a letter, nor did I have time this week to learn, I took a few liberties with the text. I chose to emphasize the word ‘love’ instead of the first word ‘let’. I utilized Japanese papers to make the ‘O’, cut out a heart, then added gold embellishments with ink. I like the way it turned out.

I chose this sonnet as I think we have forgotten that love is an ever fixed mark. One that does not move when someone tries to remove it. Loving someone doesn’t always mean you like everything about them at every moment…love overlooks their flaws, quirks, and even when they disappoint us…as hopefully they overlook our flaws. Love means flexibility to care and serve no matter what, even on the days when their habits rub us the wrong way or even offend. Anyone who has family, is in a relationship, has friends, or has children can relate. We humans can be rather hard to deal with at times and love is not always easy. Whoever told you it was had never actually been in love.

Love is an ever fixed mark, one that leaves us better than it found us. It forces us to grow, forgive, change and become someone who loves and deserves love EVEN IF impediments cross our path. So next time the someone you love does something that really chaps your hide…love them anyway. Next time you bug the snot out of them you will be blessed when they love you anyway. Love is an EVER FIXED mark, and we are blessed each and every day we are loved.