Love without Ownership

You see a dog chasing after a car. For the first time in its life, it finally grabs hold of the back of the car only to find out that the car has stopped. A boy runs after a dragonfly. Once caught, the hands of the boy crush the wings of the bug. A girl admiring the beauty of a flower plucks it, but the moment it is within the grasp of the owner, it is all but alive. A bird singing in the wilderness sings of joy and hope, while within the cages of man sings of despair and depression. It is the intricate balance of you and me, ambition and contentment. As I read Paolo Coelho’s The Alchemist, I came across a phrase, “love without ownership.” It is the magnificent realization of having nothing while owning everything. It is probably the only way to break the law of conservation of matter, as love is felt without anything being used up.