The Desire for Desires

When, in disgrace with Fortune and men’s eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state, And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries, And look upon myself and curse my fate, Wishing me like to one more rich in hope, Featured like him, like him with friends possessed, Desiring this man’s art, and that man’s scope, With what I most enjoy contented least, Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising, Haply I think on thee, and then my state, Like to the lark at break of day arising From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven’s gate For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings, That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

also, the more i think about it, the more plausible it is that javert never recognizes valjean in m sur m. it’s kinda like the argument for why no one ever realizes clark kent is superman? because no one expects superman to ever masquerade as a human! it’s beneath him! and ridiculous! so not only has it been years since javert saw jvj (who also has to look a lot different when not starving and in rags and covered in grime), he would also just. never expect him to be mayor of a small town?? he’s a convict! he wouldn’t dare–he wouldn’t be ABLE to rise to such a position. so even if javert ever did think he looked familiar, or reminded him of 24601, he would have dismissed it outright because it’s just beyond comprehension that a prisoner could ever become this. there’s too much of a cognitive dissonance between a man he looked down upon as evil and less than human and the man he looks up to as a perfect model of respectability and authority.

Fall in love with ordinary. Fall in love with the everyday. Fall in love with brown eyes and small towns and a hand full of dandelions. Discover. Discover the crevices. Read the books that aren’t so popular, by little known authors who have a lot to offer. Listen to music that makes you think. Choose art that is buried in the corner of galleries, or on the street. Teach yourself to love the small things. The special but unnoticed things. Teach yourself how the ordinary is not so ordinary after all.