Who knows how to make love stay?

Kaia ate through another one of my Kindle cords, so I can't access any e-books. I have also been in a reading funk, not sure what I want to pick up next. I was in my closet the other day and something reminded me of a great Tom Robbins quote, "Erleichda!" which roughly translates to Lighten Up! It was apropos of the moment, but why I don't know. That prompted me to pick up and commence rereading Jitterbug Perfume, probably my favorite novel.

That has caused me to consider just rereading great books for the rest of the year. SJP was on Studio 360 Sunday night and mentioned she just read A Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin, which I have read at least 3 times, and is an amazing read. Now that I have lived in New York, I would have a different perspective on the book, and I think I might reread it as well. It would be a great 7 months of nostalgia, but then I worry about all the time I could have spent reading new books. Such a quandary.

I was reminded of another great Tom Robbins quote this morning, "Who knows how to make love stay?" Al and Tipper Gore are separating after 40 years of marriage. Separating. After 40 years. Al and Tipper Gore. Huh? Am I being punked?

What keeps a relationship going for 40 years or 50 years or 60 years? What makes a relationship change so significantly after 40 years that they chose to end it? It is incomprehensible. I was counting on having all of that worked out after 40 years. We have to work on our romantic relationships that hard after even 40 years? I figured by then we would be worn down in to comfortable ruts at that point - rutted, but meandering across life's prairie in parallel.

And Al and Tipper Gore?! They are liberal royalty! If they can't do it, who can. Do relationships last forever only through inertia? Who knows how to make love stay?

Or, is another Tom Robbins quote more telling, "We spend more time looking for the perfect lover, instead of creating the perfect love."