Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Well Said: Marriage, a very great adventure

From a letter Marshall McLuhan wrote to his fiance about their upcoming marriage.
You and I are faced with one of those situations (which fortunately are not very numerous in one lifetime) which cannot possibly be adequately judged beforehand. It strikes me as a colossal gamble, or rather, a very great adventure. And personally I am considerably exhilarated by the risks! ... The greatness of the adventure perhaps consists partly in the fact that as a Catholic I can marry only once! But, as with being born, perhaps once is quite sufficient! In the Church, you know, there is a great heightening of every moment of experience, since every moment is played against a supernatural backdrop. Nothing can be humdrum in this scheme.
The Medium and the Light by Marshall McLuhan
I love that comparison of marriage with birth and the idea of exhilaration at the great adventure. We always like to have our options open. But it is, in fact, often the limitation should make us realize that we are embarking upon a tremendous gamble, a very great adventure.

Fascinating, as is much of this book. The concepts are such, occasionally, that I have to pause and reflect in order to absorb them. And they often range across enough paragraphs that I didn't share them here. But I highly recommend this fascinating, thought provoking book.

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