I used to think that paired opposites were a given, that love was the opposite of hate, right the opposite of wrong. But now I think we sometimes buy into these concepts because it is so much easier to embrace absolutes than to suffer reality. I don't think anything is the opposite of love. Reality is unforgivingly complex.
In her book "Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life," Anne Lamott explores the notion of paired opposites, challenging the conventional ideas that categorize emotions and morals into clear dichotomies. Initially, she believed that love was simply the opposite of hate, and that right and wrong could easily be distinguished. However, she has come to recognize that these simplifications may be comforting but fail to reflect the complexities of reality.
Lamott asserts that the reality of human experience is much more nuanced than just opposing pairs. She suggests that no emotion truly stands in direct opposition to love, emphasizing that the intricacies of life demand a deeper understanding. By acknowledging the multifaceted nature of our feelings and experiences, we can move beyond the limitations of absolutes and embrace the complexities that define our lives.
