Sharing and Caring

The challenge and the goal - now
encased like a fossil in amber
remains well known for its high
rate of success, yet little practised
today and more's the pity, observing
the sorry slate of fleeting marriage
contracts - is to infuse the relationship
with the truly unerring flavour of
mutual love and commitment.

The generations succeeding those
that took serious notice of the woman's
way to a good man's heart places little
credence in "old wives' tales", requiring
basic homebody skills for both, each
complementing the other, for nowhere
in a frantically triple-tasking society is
there the quaint notion of available time.

Caring solicitation nurtures love and
affection through assurances of devotion,
an ancient formula, tried and true.
Cherish and ye shall be cherished. Dare
to care enough and the rewards are
amply presented. The dedication is to
the other, and the self awarded fidelity.

Love can indeed be evoked through
countless other premium manners,
of natural means or society's popular artifices.
But slight veneer begets casual response,
a caricature of sincerity, soon worn
past endurance. And the moving hand
writes the story of pretense then
moves inevitably, disconsolately on.