Harshavardhan. N
II EEE
Here is a picture of an ordinary traffic light with a special twist: the red light is heart-shaped. It is such a plain moment, but motorcyclists are queuing in one line here, and the light brings some touch of love into the scene.
As Shakespeare put it, “The course of true love never did run smooth,” and this is so for a reason. Much as pausing a rider on the road at the light, people in love often need to wait on others. The light, therefore, gives a sense of love needing to be patient. Just like Romeo had waited for Juliet, so too do those in love wait for that special moment to speak the right words.
In most of Shakespeare’s dramas, love is associated with waiting and patience. In Twelfth Night,
Viola hides the love, waiting for the right moment. In Much Ado About Nothing, Beatrice and Benedick take their sweet time to admit their feelings to each other. These characters are possible evidence to the truth that quiet and patient moments, such as the motorcyclists waiting at a heart-shaped traffic light, are equally important as making big gestures in proving love.
This heart-shaped signal means love does not stop, even in the mundane daily existence. It is a reminder that love is there in situations very ordinary and so often it is necessary to wait for it. As Shakespeare stated in Sonnet 116, “Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds,” this would imply that true love shall never change or alter. Just as this red heart remains illuminated at all times, so does true love—constantly there, even when we need to pause and reflect.
Not merely a street scene, this photograph captures how love must be patient, just as Shakespeare’s tales tell. In a contemporary context, it can be seen as a symbol of love’s timeless nature.
