“Beauty Awakens the Soul to Act,” Tumblr Post (2016)

“You know that invigorating almost galvanizing rush through your body you get when you stare vehemently into a blazing, pulchritudinous fire, that moment of intoxicated excitement that feels almost mesmerizing. Or, the feeling when you strike a match and it makes an expeditious roaring noise before it gradually quiets down to a small, but steady flame with much menacing potential? That’s how I describe love. It starts as a minuscule, innocent cinder that has the abeyance to turn into a breath taking, overpowering wildfire. We all know it’s perilous, but it’s all worth the risk to be a part of such a prepossessing few moments. Love has risks, it could start out as the inconsequential ember of a carefully lit match, but burned out from lack of care. It is painful, especially if it seemed once as perfect, but it’s part of life and learning to love. But occasionally there’s that one perfect strike of a match, that miraculous, exceptional flame that gives that perfect balance of warmth and light to guide your once dark paths, but still makes you take risks to stare deeper in the flame. When you find the person who makes the ember in your soul turn into a wild fire and never lets it burn out, hold on to them, you know it’s love.”   —ZahideGashi, “Beauty Awakens the Soul to Act,” Tumblr, 2016 (retrieved March 28, 2024)

“Beauty awakens the soul to act” is a translation of Dante’s “L’animo … dal piacere in atto è desto” (Purg. 18.19-21). See other references to the verse by clicking the link below.