Is you is, or is you ain't, my baby?

         This title was an old song by Loius Armsrong, I believe. A very catchy little number all about love. Always a favourite topic with writers, whether of songs, books, or films. Something that fills the newspapers, and the magazines with stories, and gossip. Often about the rich, and famous. As well as the not so well known, but perhaps more notorious. Who loves, whom, how much, how little, why, when, and likely the photos to prove it. 

           Lurve... the Barry White kind. Romantic settings, deep voice, crooning, setting the mood for candlelit dinners, seduction, and silky underwear....and nowadays, that's more than likely, just his, rather than hers. Love, that emotion which, makes the heart beat faster. Couples, with hearts, souls, and ultimately bodies, entwined. Soul mates, relationships of the closed kind, are both a minefield, and flower garden. Always, it is a subject that fascinates. Perhaps even, fascinates, and appals at the same time. It can be scary , can't it girls, maybe guys too. Who knows. I'm a girl...

            It is something, we supposedly, fall into, or fall out of. Search for, hope for, or avade. What ever action, or emotion is involved, it is seldom anything small. It hits you, like a bolt out of the blue. Or, it's loss, leaves you broken, and devestated. People become obsessed, or bereft. It changes your life, and sometimes, destroys your life. It is then, nothing small, or insignificant. Something to take care of, and just 'take care.'

             I don't know if the modern girl looks for a mate, but those of my generation, and many others through the ages, certainly did. During the ages when women were chattels, the property of their father, and then of their husband, it was a must. How else, could they survive? Marriages were often arranged, love not being a requisite, assuming it would grow. Otherwise, well, there are other criteria, just as important. Such as supporting each other, and raising a family together. Naturally, there were almost invariably families. Birth control being almost unknown. Or very primitive, to say the least.Aren't  children a physical manifestation of the love between two, people. Or, am I being a silly romantic. Is it really nothing like that..I prefer the hearts, and flowers version myself

             Life was much different for women way back when. Love, though, went on much the same. Nothing stops love does it, striking unexpectedly, as it will. As you might imagine if it were really Eros, and his little arrow making mischief. Perhaps in the past, society made some of these relationships more difficult, with constraints of class, or culture. Woman today, being more outspoken, and the choices women have today, are greater. So make the most of it girls. Many woman fought tooth, and nail to give some of those freedoms to you. 

            In the last century, most women could not work, were simply not allowed to work. There were few jobs they could actually do. The great majority were not educated, to even a basic standard. The better off families, were often no better. Those that did educate a daughter of the house, often had narrow views of what was appropriate. There were many subjects considered improper for a female to study. It gave them ideas beyond what they were best suited to....which, of course was taking care of husbands, and children. Some men actually believed women were lesser creatures, docile, smaller brian, less able. Boy, did they have a wake up call coming.

             Ooops, there I go again. Off on a tangent. Love.....concentrate on love....

            Of course, we all know that through the ages, strong women rose to the top at regular intervals. Sadly, too many needed the association, and protection of a powerful man. A sign of the times in which they lived. Some, like Eygypts queens, or Europes royalty, inherited positions of power. Where they ruled with all the passion, and coldness of any man. A few, like the pioneer women, fought for their freedom, to make their own wealth, in a mans world. Again, with only a few occupations open to them. Still, woman have equal, if not superior brain power to men. Something, that remains an emotive subject. We know they don't have the same physical strength, but with many determined, and athletic woman, they have achieved extraordinary levels of fitness. Who knows where that may lead in the future, we are comstantly evolving. Women's high intelligence quota, is a fact! If men wish they could not only dispute, but disregard, that is their problem. It is far easier to vilify, and bully those less intelligent woman, to assert their superiority, in well tried ways. However, sexism has far less of a hold that's previously. Which, is a good thing, and only right.

            Even for LOVE, and its continuation, I am all for a matriarchal society. Those were the societies that worked, and worked well. Who knows, perhaps I feel another blog coming on...

            Today, of course, women have equal rights in many areas. There are still anomalies, unequal pay, the glass ceiling, and they still bear the children, which gives them both advantages, and siadvantages. However, we also have house husbands, modern men, and a society which verbalises equal opportunities. Even if it does not always produce it for all, it's trying.

             For me, on a personal level, love is not just romantic hearts, and flowers. It is two people being faithful. It is about loyalty, and reliability. Being able to trust someone, what they say, what they do, what they intend. It's about two people being there for each other...in every way, understanding each other, and doing the best they can for the other. Over all, and under all... Underpinning the bridge between male, and female, is LOVE.

              all I can say, is long live love...

               May you have your share of it.....