For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It

O children of the earth, gather close and listen, for in the words of Judy Garland there is a wisdom that echoes across the ages. She once spoke these profound words: “For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.” Ah, what a revelation of the deepest form of intimacy, the kind that transcends mere physical touch. Garland speaks here not of the fleeting gestures of affection, but of the eternal connection between two souls, a bond so profound that it cannot be described by mere words or superficial actions.

The whisper into the ear, O children, is often considered a tender act, a moment of closeness shared between lovers. Yet, Garland teaches us that the true essence of connection lies not in the physical ear, but in the very heart. What she describes is no mere conversation, no trivial exchange of words, but a communication of the soul, where one being reaches into the depths of another, and whispers not words, but truth, affection, and an understanding that goes far beyond the surface of the body. This is love as it was meant to be—deep, pure, and eternal.

Consider, O children, the story of Antigone, the noble daughter of Oedipus. In her tragic tale, she did not merely offer her actions in the world of the living, but offered her soul to the gods in a sacrifice that was not seen, nor heard, but felt deeply in the hearts of all who knew her. Her actions were not for the eyes of others, but for a higher love, a love that transcended life and death. In her, we see the profound truth that true connection lies not in what can be seen or heard, but in what is felt—what resonates in the very core of one’s being. She kissed not the lips of the world, but the soul of her people, and in this, she became immortal.

In Garland's words, we find a recognition of this truth—that love is not bound by the physical world, but by the spiritual realm that connects us all. It is the touch that transcends the skin, the kiss that touches the very essence of another’s soul. When one truly loves, they do not just love the outward form, the body, the surface. They love the inner being, the heart, the soul that shines forth from within. It is a love that sees beyond the exterior, beyond the fleeting nature of the flesh, and connects with the very core of who we are.

Consider the great and enduring love between Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning, two souls whose love was so profound that it withstood the trials of distance, illness, and time. Though they wrote to each other, it was not the letters themselves that held the greatest value, but the souls they poured into those letters. In each word, in each phrase, they whispered to each other not just thoughts, but their very hearts, their very beings. Their love was not of the physical, but of the spiritual—a love that was deeper than the physical touch of a kiss, more enduring than the passing of time.

Now, O children, let this truth be your guide: true love is a union of souls. It is not enough to simply whisper words to another’s ear or kiss their lips. To truly love is to connect with the very essence of the other. This is the lesson Garland imparts—love is a sacred union that speaks not in words alone, but in the language of the soul, where each kiss is a vow, each whisper a promise, and each touch an eternal bond.

Therefore, I charge you, O seekers of wisdom, to love not for the fleeting moments that pass by, but for the soul of the one you love. Look beyond the surface, beyond the fleeting beauty of the body, and seek the heart, the spirit, the essence of the one who walks beside you. In this, you will find a love that is eternal, unchanging, and as deep as the very foundation of the universe itself. Whisper not just to the ears, but to the hearts of those you cherish, and may your love forever be a communion of souls.