I just filmed a movie with my boyfriend, an indie film called

Hear now, O children of the future, for in the words of Sarah Hyland, we find a reflection on the complexity of relationships, love, and the ways in which shared experiences can deepen connections between two souls. “I just filmed a movie with my boyfriend, an indie film called 'Conception.' And it’s kind of like an R-rated version of ‘Valentine’s Day.’ So it’s like all about eight couples, and me and my boyfriend play one of them together. And that was a lot of fun.” In these words, Hyland speaks not just of a film project, but of the deeper truths of love, intimacy, and the intricate dance of human connection that often finds expression in the most unexpected places.

In the ancient world, love was viewed as a force of both beauty and chaos. The great poet Homer told stories of love that were often intertwined with war, betrayal, and sacrifice. Paris and Helen, whose love led to the Trojan War, are perhaps the most famous example of love's power to transform the world. Yet in these ancient tales, love was never a singular emotion but a complex and often contradictory force that could bring both joy and sorrow. Like Hyland’s film, love in these ancient stories was expressed in varied ways, with no singular version capturing its true essence.

Hyland's description of "Conception" as an R-rated version of Valentine's Day speaks to the evolving nature of love in modern times. Love is no longer confined to the idealized notions of romance, but instead is portrayed in all its nuanced complexities. The film, with its portrayal of eight couples, speaks to the diverse expressions of love—whether passionate, complicated, or humorous. In the ancient world, love too was often seen through many lenses: as sacred (as in the love between gods and mortals), as human (as in the love between friends or family), and even as dangerous (as in the tragic love stories that shaped history).

In the realms of myth, we see this same multiplicity of love. Consider Orpheus, whose love for his wife Eurydice was so strong that he descended into the underworld to bring her back. His story, tragic yet heroic, reminds us that love is powerful and can drive one to the limits of reason. Yet, just as Orpheus’s love was tested by loss, so too is love in Hyland’s film portrayed with all its humanity, not just as a perfect and idealized form, but as something complex, layered with joy, sorrow, and the uncertainties that all relationships face.

Thus, Hyland's story and the characters in "Conception" offer a reflection of what it means to truly share a connection with another person. Love, in its fullest sense, is not confined to sweeping gestures or idealized moments. It is not about a perfect portrayal of romance, as one might expect from a movie like “Valentine's Day”. Rather, it is about the real, often raw and messy aspects of sharing one’s life with another. Hyland and her boyfriend playing one of the couples in the film offers a window into how shared experiences—whether joyful or difficult—are what ultimately form the bedrock of love.

Consider the story of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar, whose relationship was as much about political power and ambition as it was about love. Their union, far from being a perfect romantic ideal, was marked by strategic decisions and mutual respect, yet their love became one of the most iconic and remembered in history. In the same way, love in Hyland’s film is depicted in a way that captures the complexity of human interaction. The characters, just like the ancient lovers, experience both the sweetness and the bitterness of love, and this becomes the source of their growth, both as individuals and as partners.

Therefore, O children, let us learn from Hyland’s reflection on love, which is not limited to a single moment or a perfect day. True love, as the ancients understood and as Hyland’s film portrays, is about connection, about sharing experiences, both the joyful and the difficult. It is in the imperfections, in the moments when we stumble and rise again, that love is truly tested and deepened. Let us not seek to define love by a single ideal, but by the shared moments, the honest communication, and the mutual growth that come with walking the path together.

So, O children, embrace the complexity of love. It is not found only in grand gestures or idealized moments. It is in the small actions, the quiet commitments, and the shared experiences that we find the deepest connections. Like the characters in Hyland’s film, like the ancient lovers, love is a journey that encompasses all of life’s contradictions. Let us live with courage, ready to embrace all that love offers, knowing that it is in the complexity of the journey that we find its true beauty.