Afraid To Love

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By Brent Curtis on January 1, 2010 ,

Your Fears - Cutting Them Down To Size, Afraid To Love

In his short story "The Beast in the Jungle," Henry James recounts the relationship of a woman and a man over several decades. She is obviously in love and totally devoted to him. He loves her but is wracked with feelings of anxiety and doubt over what love and commitment require. As he endlessly wrestles with these vague fears, the beauty of her youth fades along with her hope. Yet she remains, for the most part, tender and caring toward him, even as it dawns on her that there will never be a marriage.

At her death, we feel that perhaps the man will finally realize what he has lost. Instead he is filled with anger at his loved one's "selfishness" in deserting him. He feels that the woman's abandonment of him proves that all his fears were justified. We leave the story feeling that the real Beast in the Jungle—the fear of love, which cost him the relationship that could have been— lies yet unrecognized and waiting to pounce on him. . .

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Brent Curtis

Counselor

Brent Curtis (1947-1998), Counselor, was a counselor in private practice and the author of the book Guilt (Institute of Biblical Counseling Discussion Guides Series) published in 1992 by Navpress. He also co-authored a book with John Eldredge, The Sacred Romance: Drawing Closer to the Heart of God. Brent loved people. He was a friend and mentor to many.

 

Notice: This material is made available for limited use to participants of the C.S. Lewis Institute Fellows programs. Please do not reproduce any of the materials in the Fellows Resources other than for your personal use.

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