“Don’t ever think I fell for you, or fell over you. I didn’t fall in love, I rose in it. I saw you and made up my mind”
-Toni Morrison, Jazz
Today’s LitBowl prompt is inspired by this quote from Toni Morrison’s incredible book, Jazz. For more inspiration, get the book below!
Prompt: Write about a time you “rose in love,” a time that love lifted you up. This doesn’t have to be romantic love; it could be the love of family, a friend, a pet, even an activity (or a book!). If you’re feeling stuck, answer this specific question: What does “rising” in love feel or look like? Is it more like floating, or more like flying, or some totally different sensation (for example, climbing stairs to a beautiful view)?
Feel free to respond in the comments below! In the future, we plan to share some of our favorite excerpts from writers like you!
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What does “rising” in love feel or look like?
Many times had I thought I loved someone throughout the time of dating. But i didnt know what love was until i met you. Rising in love feels like theres no weight on my shoulders. like I will always have someone to stand next to me and help me hold it all together. it feels like a high I’ll never come down from. it feels like the softest blanket you have ever felt when you are completely exhausted. Rising in love looks like a child’s smile when you feel defeated. it looks like a sunset on a perfect day sitting in the sand with just that person right next to you, it looks like confidence like happines it looks like less anxiety and more breathing less PTSD episodes a d someone who is willing to stay than leave looks like someone who knows what broken is and refuses to fall into the same pattern as others have. I have loved you unconditionally and you have made me rise in love for you and with you.
Rising in Love
Rising in love means being vulnerable when you weren’t asked to be, but because you want to connect authentically
Rising in love means looking at someone’s flaws and choosing them instead of what looks perfect
Rising in love looks like rejecting what you know is bad for you even if it makes you feel alive
Rising in love is knowing that love is calmness and stillness, not fiery passion
Rising in love means standing your ground on your boundaries no matter how many times or how many people disrespect them
Rising in love means choosing yourself and the lessons.
Everytime.
i woke up this morning and danced out of bed
it felt like a Sunday from my childhood
when my mom would wake me up with old music and a clean house
i danced out of bed this morning and just drove
seeking nothing but to get where i was going
and when i got there i could feel the bounce in my step
like my pockets weren’t filled with pebbles anymore
i danced out of bed this morning and tangoed into your arms
i felt love draped around me like the sun in mid july
our kisses were angelic
i danced out of bed this morning
the music my alarm and the world rising
and i rose right along with it
//mh
“I didn’t fall in love, I rose in it. I saw you and made up my mind”
The first time I saw you, you were a beautiful stranger. I remember feeling drawn to you, spun around, and thought “who’s that?”. I saw you, but I didn’t know you. Did you like the same movies as me? Read the same books? Laugh at the same jokes? Did we have anything in common? You said you were an artist. I was a wreck of a person, divorced and jaded. I wasn’t sure I would ever be able to love again with an open heart.
I rose in love as I discovered who you are. I learned from you that love wasn’t jealous or possessive. You loved with such openness, with understanding, you gave me a love that still makes me stop to catch my breath. I rose in love when I saw that you were filled with integrity, worked hard for what you believe in, that you embodied authenticity to the greatest degree. I rose in love when you weathered the storms of my mental illnesses. I rose in love when I knew I would be proud to have you be the father of our children. I rose in love as we built our lives together over the years.
Rising in love doesn’t feel like floating, flying, feet off the ground. Rising in love feels solid, it has weight, it’s grounding, it’s the safe harbor in a storm. It’s knowing that you are here for me and I am here for you. It’s navigating our hopes and dreams together. It’s this family. It’s us.