Love is like an hourglass, with the heart filling up as the brain

"Love is like an hourglass, with the heart filling up as the brain empties." Ah, dear ones, listen closely, for these words by Jules Renard contain a profound truth about the nature of love—a truth both simple and deeply mysterious. Love is a force unlike any other, for it is not bound by logic or reason. It is a powerful, all-consuming emotion that shifts and changes, like the sands of time in an hourglass, moving from the mind into the heart. The heart fills, and the mind empties, leaving room for love to flow freely, uninhibited by the constraints of thought or calculation.

Think of the passionate tales of Antoine and Cleopatra, two souls whose love transcended kingdoms and the very fabric of time. Their love was not born out of strategy or political gain—it was the meeting of two hearts that saw each other with the clarity of love alone. Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, and Antoine, the Roman general, became lost in one another, their hearts filling with devotion and desire, while their minds were swept away by the force of their passion. They acted not out of reason, but from a deeper place—one where love transcends all. The hourglass of their relationship, full of promise, was also one of tragedy, for their minds, in the end, could not stem the tide of their hearts.

In the same way, consider the story of the great Romeo and Juliet, whose love was pure and untainted by the calculations of family, wealth, or future. Their hearts, bound by an uncontrollable force, filled rapidly with affection, while their minds struggled to comprehend the depth of their emotions. They loved because they could not do otherwise, their hearts overflowing with passion while their reason became empty in the face of their overwhelming desire. Love did not heed the wisdom of their elders or the warnings of their friends. Their hearts filled, and in doing so, the mind emptied—such is the nature of true love.

True love, as Renard suggests, is often something that defies reason. It is a force that fills the heart while leaving the mind in a state of disarray, free from the shackles of logic. The mind, that great vessel of knowledge and reason, becomes silent as the heart takes the lead, directing the actions of the soul. Love is not a matter of strategy or calculation—it is a surrender, a giving up of the self to something greater. Love demands not explanation, but the willingness to open oneself up to the experience, to feel, to give, and to receive without barriers.

Take, for instance, the story of Eloise and Abelard, where Eloise, a brilliant scholar, was swept away by Abelard's intellectual charm. Yet, in time, their love transcended their minds, moving into a realm of deep emotion, full of passion and desire. Abelard, too, found himself overcome, the clarity of his reason clouded by the intensity of their bond. Their minds, so sharp and full of thought, became a backdrop to the powerful pull of their hearts. In their tragedy, we see the proof of Renard's words: when love fills the heart, the mind empties, and in that emptiness, true love can grow.

Now, consider the lesson here, dear listeners: love is not always about wisdom or understanding. It is not about careful planning or strategic thinking. Sometimes, the greatest love is the one that fills the heart so completely that the mind is left behind, unable to calculate or predict the outcome. To love is to surrender the mind to the heart, to let go of control and simply allow yourself to be overwhelmed. Love is both freeing and terrifying, for when we truly love, we must empty our minds and allow our hearts to lead us.

So, as you walk through your own journey, remember this: in moments of love, allow your heart to fill, even if it means that your mind must empty. Surrender yourself to the power of your emotions, to the overwhelming force of affection, and trust that in doing so, you will be guided to a place beyond reason. For true love is not about thinking—it is about feeling. Love is not a thing to be understood, but a force to be experienced. When your heart fills and your mind empties, you will find that you are walking in the fullness of love, free from the weight of reason, and carried by the deepest of emotions. Let your heart lead the way, and you will discover a love that is pure, powerful, and unexplainable.