023 While walking in the park, you see a stranger and realize with absolute certainty that if you go over and introduce yourself, the two of you will fall in love more deeply than you even imagine possible. But you also know that in 6 months the person will be hit by a bus and killed. Would you go over to the person or leave? Assume you know that once you decide, you’ll forget what lies ahead.

Hey, guys, I'm back! I know I said I'd post on Saturday, and today happens to be Monday, but I've been a bit tired and busy, sorry!! I hope you've all been well and faithfully read Quibbles's posts this week, as she upheld the blog all on her own :)

Regarding the question in the title, I think I would do it. If you know for sure you will fall in love with this person, that means he or she is great, and will end up your best friend and you'll have amazing times while you are together. Would you really choose not knowing your best friend if you knew they were going to die soon and cause you such immense pain from their loss? It's pretty much no competition. With the pain comes all the wonderful experiences you had together, and that will help you get through the loss.

This question reminds me of Augustus and Hazel Grace a little bit. Even though Hazel, Gus (Augustus), and their families knew that Hazel was probably going to die, Gus never doubted once that he wanted to be with her in the time remaining. That's what made him special. He didn't care that Hazel's cancer was terminal, because the time they spent together was worth the pain he knew would come along with her death. (This was not quite the ending, but I won't give anything away ;))

Another thing I would like to add is my belief about destiny, or fate. Some people don't believe in this, but I like to believe that fate isn't a set path, but a set of choices you make personally to get you where you're meant to be. Sometimes people make bad choices, but that just helps them grow as a person and towards their destiny because it will shape the choices they make in the future. If I didn't know beforehand that my "true love" was destined to die in six months (in one way or another), I would have fallen in love with this person and would have been forced to endure the pain of this person's death. These kinds of situations change people, sometimes for the better, or the worse, but I think it's meant to be. Trying to evade destiny would not end well.

Wouldn't it be unfair to your "true love" to also alter their lives in such a huge way? You don't know anything about this person, and you're already depriving them of your love and being loved. They could really need it, you never know. Maybe he or she has cancer, just like Hazel, and needs someone to love them and have this experience before they die. Maybe they're going to die in a car crash, or something unpredictable, but at least they'll die knowing they're loved. I think the spread of love, in any of its forms, should be encouraged and celebrated.

What do you think, Quibbles?

Love always,
- Nargles 8/11/14