If They Love You Should You Love Them?

I am back in Hawaii for the last vacation of the summer. During the first few days here, I read a book entitled A Separate Peace, by John Knowles. One of the characters in the book, Finny, believed that if you loved something enough, then it would just naturally love you back. Even though this may not be true, it should be true. Finny was an idealist - he believed in everything that should be true in the world.

During this trip, I found a real-life example that negates Finny's belief. In the past 4 days, I have been cursed with at least ten bug bites. Now, when Hannah gets a bug bite, it is not just a bug bit. The first day, the bite is just a tiny red dot but extremely itchy. The second day, the bite swells until it is a huge, protruding red spot on that part of the body. The third day it may get even larger, and it gets extra itchy, and finally on the fourth day it starts to die down and eventually, maybe a week later, it finally fades, sometimes leaving a scar. This round of bug bites was notable because I got a bite on my left-hand middle finger. The same process happened as described above, only more intense. My entire hand swelled up until I could not bend my fingers into a fist. I could not touch my pointer finger to my middle finger because it was so swollen. I even had to sit out on a tennis match because of that single bite. I also got bitten right on my cheek, but at least that one just looked like my right cheek was really beautiful and extremely rosy.

So, through this experience, I have come to the conclusion that bugs must really love me. They must love me a lot. Although it is a comforting feeling knowing that I am loved, I cannot say that I love bugs in reciprocation. According to Finny's logic, I should love them since their abounding love for me is obvious and strong. Well, Finny, I should love them back, but I just cannot.

However, I would recommend the book.