Love.. And trees?

I passed over this quote days ago, and liked it. I didn't think twice about it at the time, and even now I couldn't tell you where I saw it at. Yesterday I found myself desperately searching for it, although I didn't remember most of the words. I can't explain why I wanted so badly to find it, and even more I can't describe the luck that it took to find it again. But, here it is.


Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are.
Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two. 
-Quote from Captain Corelli's Mandolin


Those of you that have been followers for awhile already know all about my views on love.. but for those of you that don't, here is a quick recap.
I believe that love, true love, is a decision. Not one that you can make lightly or quickly, but a decision nonetheless. I believe that it is a constant, and that it grows everyday. It is not the same as being in love, but can exist with or without being in love. Love is true for family, friends, and in romance. In romance, it is this love that carries you through when you fall out of love.
Being in love, is a beautiful thing. It isn't constant, and it can happen many times, if you allow it to. Each time is different, and makes an impression. I believe that given the right circumstances, it is easy to fall in love, or to get someone to fall in love. Even easier, is falling out of love. 
'In love' is when you get butterflies, and things are peachy. Love is when your heart swells, because you just know.
Finally, I believe that each time you fall in love, a little piece of your heart is set aside. 
Okay, sorry that wasn't as short as I planned.


Anyway, being in the town I grew up in, I find myself reminiscing more than normal. And not surprisingly, the times I 'fell in and out of love' are some of the most vivid. 
This is hard for me to admit, because at first I felt guilty for remembering these things.. But I think that most people remember things that made the biggest impressions on them - good and bad. Not many things feel as good, or hurt as bad as love and heartbreak - therefore, the memories are close.


Whatever the reason may be, I literally love this quote, and could not have explained it better myself. I know, because I have tried.


Maybe this quote stuck with me more than I first realized because of all of the emotions rushing at me, and my attempts at trying to sort through them. Maybe it stuck with me just because it rhymes so closely with my own thoughts. Either way, it settles my mind to know that 1) the past is real. It bloomed and wilted, but the season was still there. And 2) This quote gives me hope. Because when I read it, I get a beautiful mental image. One that gives me hope, and makes me excited about my roots.