Picture from "The Library Dragon" by Carmen Agra Deedy, illustrations by Michael P. White

"Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist.
Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed."
- G. K. Chesterton

Saturday, February 14, 2026

I married my Heathcliffs

 “He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” Cathy from Wuthering Heights

My mom once told me that she named me after the character Cathy from the 1939 movie Wuthering Heights. In this movie (as well as in the book) Cathy and Heathcliff are desperately in love. They roam the moors, wild and free and totally oblivious to the rest of the world. Sadly, eventually the world comes crashing down on them. Cathy realizes that Heathcliff can never give her the security and material things she craves from that world, so she agrees to marry the safe, rich neighbor.

Perhaps that is what my mom hoped I would do. That is certainly what she did when she married my Dad. I don't know if she ever loved anyone like Cathy loved Heathcliff. I know I did - twice! Both times I married inappropriate men because I loved them so much, I felt we were soul mates like Cathy and Heathcliff.

No comments:

Post a Comment