The Search for Love

(A short essay on the path towards love and union)

Yes, the Love Boat is corny.

But as coming from a writer who loves the art of compelling story, I’m telling you that the stories are really deep. I’ve been binging the show lately. These people are showing up to take a cruise with all these differrnt life styles, perspectives, backgrounds, and baggage. But somehow, the energy on the boat allows them to really work through some trauma and self sabotage; hence the name “Love” Boat.

These storylines really follow the “fool/hero’s journey” exquisitely. Some unaware soul saunters onto the ship with an agenda and some unfounded idea of what they think they’ll get from the cruise. Then they interact with someone and ride this rollercoaster of emotions and realizations. After a major let down, they go through their own “dark night of the soul” before the ultimate plot twist where love says the day.

But it’s that “dark night of the soul” that seems to be the most important part of the story; the shift, not the climax or the part where an audience normally take a sigh of of relief. It’s that let down that in some way humbles us, puts us on our ass, shakes us up, brings us to our breaking point.

That low point is even found in the stories of our own lives, where transformation begins. It’s like…