Assigned Reading: Abrams

In a class discussion, Abrams' concept of cycles within cycles. The thought of a cycle automatically brought me to the time I visited Boston and took a bike tour. We took a path that circumnavigated multiple neighborhoods within Boston, drawing small circles within the larger circle of the route. Back to Abrams' take on the cycles, draws back on a wider scope of life. The first being the entire cycle of life. Cristian literature coins the concept "from ashes to ashes, dust to dust," insinuating the creation of man from the red dust of the earth (Genesis) and the dust that our bodies become after we pass on.

The first connection I made with this material personally was something that I will call the process of love. There is love in the world-it's a Biblical concept. However, due to the broken condition that our race is subject to, there has been thus a process to find that love. Take the very human example of romantic love. Every person was created individually, but the Bible states an innate desire for relationship that is placed within all of us. More so, the Bible states that "it is not good for man to be alone."

Love at first sight is unlikely, but romanticized in the media. Implying a simplicity and effortless process for that funny little thing we call love. However, in reality, there are multiple cycles within the cycle of love. First, the cycle of knowing a person: the introduction, maybe an awkward phase, a comfortable phase, then a phase of intimate friendship. This intimate friendship will likely be derailed by something, whether it is an argument or in some cases a desire for the intimate friendship to progress in a more romantic manner. Either way, the friendship will enter a beginning stage of a cycle, whether or not it is the same one it originated from. If the friends decide to progress towards a romantic relationship, they will enter a new cycle.

"cycles within cycles," (Abrams)