SchrodingersDinosaur wrote:
@NoC, if you are gonna co-opt a turn of phrase from either fiction or historical use, whether it's to insult someone or not, it's a best to at least have a similar definition... number 2 isn't a term of abandonment, historically it takes the name from the Latin word for pain and is most connected with crucifixion. As used by Rowling the Unforgivable Curse is the infliction of excruciating and unending pain, not someone walking away from a situation they are unable to handle, for whatever reason - good or bad. That *might* be abandonment or it might be self preservation, most like a combination of the two. Henna's two cents only of course...
Well, well, well. How do you determine the state of being of the Dinosaur without peeking in The Cage?
Heyla, SchrodingersDinosaur. It is a distinct pleasure to see you again.
I am flattered that you took the time to read my fusty old long-winded shenanigans once more. And more so that you took the time to comment.
However, I must confess that I am a bit confused by your response. In particular, as I chose quite deliberately.
Yes, the Cruciatus Curse as depicted by J.K. Rowlings was the application of pain. Excruciating pain.
And over the decades, I have experienced excruciation, however fleeting or lasting, when I felt abandoned by someone who I had relied on. Whatever the reason that they were no longer there. No matter the long term benefits to me as well as them that they left.
My sperm and egg donor did me a wonderful favor when they not only gave me life but gave me up. I reject the term "birth parents" as they were no sort of parent to me. Just as I reject the term "adoptive parents" as my parents were my parents. My loving parents who changed my diapers, bandaged my skinned knees, saw me through physical, emotional, mental, and, yes, sexual trauma.
However, that did not stop the odd moment of feeling that I had been tossed aside like a used condom or used tampon by the children who decided to experiment in the back seat of a car and the plumbing worked as intended at times across the years.
My wife had fought a lifetime of battles against injury and illness. And if she had a choice in dying, then I couldn't blame her for escaping the pain.
However, that did not stop the odd moment of feeling that I had been abandoned by her. Or the excruciating pain.
As for... my entanglements, whether dynamicked, romantic, sexual, or platonic... I am well aware that they each had their own reasons for leaving, save for my third ex-fiance (the only one I ended). And I was already well aware that more than one did so out of a sense of self-preservation. But, thank you for pointing that out.
However, I am puzzled that you think that concept would in some way alleviate the pain that I felt, that a sense of self-preservation led them to need to escape my evil clutches.
***shrug***
Pain is not a choice for living organisms, whatever their ability at rationality. It just is. Exists.
What we do with that pain is a choice. And my choice has been to avoid future pain of being abandoned by someone that has already caused me the excruciating pain of abandoning me. Of exiling me.
Even though by doing so they did me the greatest favor possible by clearing the way for my sweet little spice.
So, yes. I chose rather deliberately when I equated abandonment with the cruciatus. Just as I chose to equate lying with imperious and maliciousness with avada kadavra.
Any road, this thread was about how we know when it's over. When we choose to leave behind a relationship that was not working. And while I can not in good conscience apologize for anything I've said, I do apologize if my usual weak attempt to inject humor into a potentially excruciating subject somehow minimized the principle objective.
And I should probably shut up there as while I enjoy a good semantic debate as much as the next nerd, I would hate to be responsible for further derailing a thread about something as personal as deciding whether a relationship has run its course. And so shall see myself out. Stage left even.
But, before I go... I have nothing but the fondest wishes for you or anyone who might read these words here.
May the sun be out of your eyes and the wind at your back for only the brightest possible tomorrow.