{About Love}The most important thing in life, and you can't tell whether people have it or not. Surely this is wrong? Surely people who are happy should look happy, at all times, no matter how much money they have or how uncomfortable their shoes are or how little their child is sleeping; and people who are doing OK but have still not found their soul-mate should look, I don't know, anxious, like Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally; and people who are desperate should wear something, a yellow ribbon maybe, which would allow them to be identified by similar desperate people.
In "High Fidelity," Nick Hornby reflects on the enigmatic nature of love and happiness. He suggests that the presence or absence of love is not always visible to others, leading to a disconnect between outward appearances and inner feelings. He questions the expectations that happy people should always exhibit joy, regardless of their circumstances, and contrasts this with how those who are not in love might appear more anxious or troubled.
This exploration reveals a profound truth about human emotions; they often remain hidden beneath the surface. Hornby implies that if love had a visible marker, like a yellow ribbon for the desperate, it would make it easier for people to connect. Yet, the unpredictability of relationships challenges the notion that happiness and love should be outwardly apparent. Through this lens, he encourages a deeper understanding of others’ emotional states beyond what is superficially observable.
