The Landon Carter Effect

  When I was little, my mom used to tell me that books and movies and stories could teach us important lessons about life and love. So in honor of her ideas about life imitating art (or vice versa, actually), I'm dedicating this post to one of my favorite movies that I think offers a bit of wisdom on the nature of relationships. Ever since I first saw A Walk to Remember at the age of 10, I knew I was in love. It's such a beautiful and powerful movie that attempts to define the difficult concept of true love.

  If you haven't seen it yet, then WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?! Just kidding. If you haven't seen it yet, the plot centers on Bad Boy Landon Carter and his falling in love with Jamie Sullivan, the pastor's daughter who just so happens to be dying of leukemia. It's a tearjerker, I must say, but not in a corny Lifetime-movie kind of way (at least I don't think so.) Throughout the movie, we see Landon transition from a hopeless troublemaker to a devoted boyfriend. So what exactly causes this drastic transformation?

   One of the most amazing things about a good and loving relationship, as per a conversation I recently had with a friend, is the way that being with the other person makes you want to be a better person yourself. As Landon says in the movie, "Jamie has faith in me. She makes me want to be different, better." He falls in love with Jamie and wants to mend his Bad Boy ways because he feels that she deserves a better version of Landon Carter. Although he has never found a reason to soul-search and make over his life before, his love for Jamie motivates him to take a second look at who he's becoming and try to be his best self. The result, of course, is possibly the most beautiful romance in movie history.

  Landon teaches us quite a bit about love and a healthy relationship. Love is about growing with another person, certainly, but it is just as much about change. And I don't mean "change" as merely adapting to your significant other's tastes and patterns. "Change" here refers to the desire and the attempt to improve yourself for your beloved. Now, I'm not saying that two people in a relationship should pick at each other's flaws and call one another out on their respective issues. Rather, you should be inspired to fix your ways and change yourself on your own out of love.

  So what is it that's maybe not-so-great-but-still-fixable about you? An attitude problem? Laziness? Are you just a bad listener? As for me, I know that I'm DEFINITELY not perfect. And fortunately, my boyfriend understands this. But despite my human inability to be perfect, I want to be the best me I can be for the man I love. And no, I'm not always successful. But I try. And I think that's what counts.

  What about you all? Agree or disagree with what I like to call "The Landon Carter Effect"?

  Peace,
    KT :)

(image from weheartit.com)