The Forest of Enchantments

by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

‘A good, caring monarch–and your father is certainly that—doesn’t toy with the deep-rooted beliefs of his people. Not for the sake of personal happiness. Not even to prove a point.’

‘Anything that makes us forget our true selves is a trap, princess

Perhaps duty was a kind of love, after all.

This incident taught me that the more love we distribute, the more it grows, coming back to us from unexpected sources. And its corollary: when we demand love, believing it to be our right, it shrivels, leaving only resentment behind.

it’s not enough to merely love someone. Even if we love them with our entire being, even if we’re willing to commit the most heinous sin for their well-being. We must understand and respect the values that drive them. We must want what they want, not what we want for them.

How entangled love is with expectation, that poison vine! The stronger the expectation, the more our anger towards the beloved if he doesn’t fulfil it—and the less our control over ourselves.

Why was it that our holy men who made a big deal of giving up so many things—comfort, fame, family—couldn’t seem to give up their tempers?

Whatever I gave to Ram wasn’t lost to me; it would be with me even more fully.

Forgiveness is more difficult when love is involved.