I love this beautiful, whimsical poem of John Betjeman’s. It is basically autobiographical and tells of an encounter with a girl he knew when he was growing up. Take a read…
I find this an achingly beautiful and generally happy poem. It reminds me of the almost earth shattering passion of teenage love. As we grow older we learn to love in different ways, ways that are just as deep, but not as all consuming. Being brought face to face with teenage passion reminds us that we have changed. It does me anyway.
Although I love this poem, there is a line that makes me sad: “Love so pure it had to end.” Well must it? Clearly John didn’t end up having a happily ever after with his beloved Wendy, or whatever her real name was, but does pure love have to end? Does love need to be tainted to be life long? Of course not. While it is true that no married person perfectly loves their spouse, it is not the imperfections in the love that make it lasting. No it is the strength of the love itself that makes it last a lifetime. Chapter 13 of John’s Gospel states:
“Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” John 13:1 [NIV]
Jesus loved his disciples even to the very end of his life. Love so pure it had to end? No!
If Jesus had simply died on the cross and that had been the end of the story, then Betjeman would be right. Loving would be a lovely, but ultimately hopeless and tragic thing to do. But Easter Sunday morning proves that is isn’t. Pure and perfect love has no end. Praise God for that!
For prayer… Ask God to continue making the love you have for others purer and more perfect. You might also want to commit your lost Wendy’s to him remembering what Julian of Norwich said “All manner of things will be well.”
John Martin-Jones
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