what i've been reading...

So i've been reading some Kirkegaard and I must say that I have been thoroughly impressed by his writing style and the profundity in the content of his works. I feel like he gives voice to my thoughts and ideas, reflections and musings on different topics. I'm reading an anthology of some of his works and it has been a delight to read both for my mind and my soul. So here are some snippets of things that I like from his works.

From his Works of Love

"Thou shalt love." Only when it is a duty to love, only then is love everlastingly secure against every change; everlastintly emancipated in blessed independence; everlastingly happy, assured against despair. "

"Consequently only when love is a duty, only then is love eternally secure. This security of eternity drives out all anxiety and makes love perfect, perfectly secure. For in that love which only has continuance, however confident it is, there is still an anxiety, an anxiety about the possibility of change. "

"Duty ... makes a man dependent and at the same time eternaly independent. "Only the law can give freedom." Alas, we often think that freedom exists, and that it is the law which restricts freedom. However, it is just the other way: without law freedom simply does not exist, and it is the law which gives freedom. We think, too, that it is the law which makes distinctions, because when it is the law which makes the distinction, because when there is no law there are no distinctions. Still it is the other way: when it is the law which makes the distinction, then it is exactly the law which makes everyone equal before the law."

"Love covers a multitude of sins. For it does not discover the sins; but the fact that it does not discover what still ust exist, on sofar as they can be discovered -- that is hiding them."

"Love covers a multitude of sins; for what it cannot avoid seeing or hearing, it hides by keeping silent, by a lenient explanation, by forgiveness. Through silence it hides the multitude of sins."

"Love covers a multitude of sins; for love prevents the sin from coming into existence, strangles it at birth."

The topic of love has been something that has dogged me for awhile and this year, I've been able to study it a little bit more. His thoughts on love has been welcomed and a breath of fresh air. I don't like surface simple answers and he doesn't give them. He gives well thought-out answers that have been borne by prolonged reflection and meditation on the subject. As a result, his responses are succinct and articulate, though lengthy. And I'm glad that he devoted much writing to an area that is much discussed. His thoughts about "sickness unto death" is also worth looking at. I'll blog about that later. For now, think about those thoughts. =)

and scene...