What Bruce Wayne Can Teach Us About Love

I have followed the Dark Knight Trilogy by Christopher Nolan most curiously. It is after all one of the best superhero movie sagas of our time. When you think about Batman or Bruce Wayne, what are the qualities that strike you? His ability to seem unheroic for a more heroic cause, his desire to clean up the city whose richest man he is or simply how cool he can be with all his fancy moves and state-of-the-art gadgets and so forth? Although I like it all about him, there is one particular trait that I admire. That is how he handles his love. His love interest Rachael Dawes is constantly drawn towards other men. That would ideally cause jealousy in a man who loves her. But as Bruce says to his butler and confidant Alfred, "Who Rachael hangs out with is none of my concern". Wayne recognizes that though he loves her, she doesn't necessarily have to return the favor. And he respects that liberty the girl has.

When you think about love, I think that this is one of the most important things to remember. To give the other person the right and the freedom to choose whoever they like and not be offended by it. Of course, it would hurt our happiness. But I have realized that when you love someone, it is their happiness that you need to be concerned about more than yours. The fact that your love is happy should make you happy. If it does not, it is just a conditional love. And love by nature should be unconditional. Your part is to love, that is where your power ends. The fact that the one you love loves someone else is not in your circle of influence. Others would also be drawn to your dear one. This is as natural as everyone's right to appreciate the moon. You can't blame them. They are as much an admirer of that sweet creation of God as you are. But what you cannot do is to try to own that person. She isn't your property. Nor should she be. I think that Bruce realizes that. That's what makes him so great.