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Brain Labs is a place for people to write about ideas. Original, thought-provoking ideas. We challenge writers to find patterns and make connections in fresh, logical, vigorous, engaging, and often counter-intuitive ways.

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Bridging Heaven and Earth| Chapter 7

The mystery of multinational marriage part 2: Poisonous pride

14 min read1 day ago

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A mother and three young children aged 7, 5, and 3, and a baby in a stroller sitting outside in summer clothing. The mother is making a traditional Japanese summer snack wrapped in bamboo leaves called sasamaki
Making sasamaki. Photo from summer of 2015 by Tetsuya Kawasaki

In India, there is a deity known as Shiva, the god of destruction. Shiva has a following of believers in Japan, too, where he is thought of as the formidable god called “Fudousan,” or the “Unmovable One.” Shiva, however, is also the god of creation, and in India, he and his beloved wife, Parvati, are considered the ideal couple. All over the world, there are legendary couples, many of them true stories from history. Looking at their examples makes me think: just as the intermingling of the bodies of men and women can lead to the birth of new life, perhaps the intermingling of the souls of men and women can lead to the birth of new possibilities? This kind of powerful spiritual mingling is called True Love in Western fairytales. I also call it Love Evolution.

Happily Ever After?

Most Western fairytales, like the stories of Cinderella and Snow White, end with “and they got married and lived happily ever after.” This may be why in my home country, America, many people grew up thinking Romance = True Love = Happiness. Of course, it does not work that way in reality, although many couples in America do put conscious effort into keeping the love alive after getting married. For example…

Brain Labs
Brain Labs

Published in Brain Labs

Brain Labs is a place for people to write about ideas. Original, thought-provoking ideas. We challenge writers to find patterns and make connections in fresh, logical, vigorous, engaging, and often counter-intuitive ways.

Patty Kawasaki
Patty Kawasaki

Written by Patty Kawasaki

Full-time mother of five living in and loving Sekikawa, a small mountain village in northern Japan.Self-published author, sporadic YouTuber, aspiring writer.

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