For all you Twilight saga fans, and in honor of the movie debut, I just want to share my experience reading these books by Stephanie Meyer. I learned a lot about love from Bella and Edward's relationship and especially from vampires. If you think about it, when vampires choose a mate/love, it is a choice that will potentially last longer than a lifetime, because vampires are immortal. It would really make someone think twice before geting married if they knew it would be for hundreds and thousands of years. Can you imagine finding someone you would not get sick of after a few lifetimes? Wow, is all I got to say! That is true love. Although, I'm a hopeless romantic who thinks people should find a love that is much more than a mundane relationship of simply putting up with each other or getting divorced when the going gets tough, like today's standards. Bella and Edward's connection is off the charts- why should anyone settle for less? Even in reality, not just a half magical world that Bella and Edward live in.

Edward Cullen and Bella Swan certainly have sincere affection for one another and an undeniable connection immediately. I have never read a book, specifically romance novels, that portrayed a love so raw and unearthly- the sparks jump out from the pages.This saga is an essential reminder of true love. Of course we don't all have to be damsels in distress or vampires to experience the magnitute of Bella and Edward's relationship. There are ingredients and fundamentals for a match made in heaven or immortal hell, whatever you prefer. Not to mention, many men could take lessons from Edward's numerous chivalrous and appealing traits, aside from the fact that he saves his true love's life almost daily. And he proves to every young girl that jealousy doesn't equal love. I'm sure Edward was jealous, especially with Jacob, but he didn't show it and he handled it very maturely. Another characteristic I enjoyed about him was he absolutely doesn't notice any other women around when he is with Bella, even when the other women are flirting with him and are more attractive than Bella. He also lets all his guards down with her and figures whatever happens, happens- "Let the Chips fall where they may". He remains a strong masculine stereotype, but also has the ability to be tender, open, chivalrous, and mature. Great qualities that many men are lacking.

Another aspect that stood out in their relationship was Bella's dreams and the 'feelings' she got about Edward. It seemed they were connected on another level besides physical and mental. This is profoundly consequential when you are in a realtionship- it is so easy to ignore the strange or good feelings we get about someone. Even dreams are relevant and serve a purpose. This is great advice- listen and pay attention to it all, every feeling, dream, and gut instinct. They're there, or not there, for a reason. Lust can get in the way of our intuition so be aware of both when forming a relationship with someone.

Bella and Edward's relationship began in an instant and several feelings were awakened inside of them upon meeting, even before they spoke to one another- hurt, anger, love, lust, frustration, empathy, apathy. Did their romance begin too sudden- too much too soon? No. When you have a connection with someone, you don't question fate or bring out the blueprints of a 'proper' relationship and courtship, you "give up trying to stay away", as Edward put it best. You begin to let your instincts guide you and nothing rational guides you along love's path. THey initially and inwardly evaluated their connection before they had a chance to formally meet. I don't beleive it was only lust that brought them together so quick. Both of these characters are very psychological, meaning they think and calculate before reacting.

One of the ingredients that wasn't present in the first book of the saga, Twilight, was friendship. Bella and Edward clearly have a love and lust for each other, but you don't completely realize their friendship is lacking until you read book two, New Moon, when Bella and Jacob form a strong friendship. It becomes blatantly apparent that was missing with Edward. I believe it was because she did not let her guard down totally as Edward did. She was an open wound, almost literally, when she became friends with Jacob, therefore letting her guard down with him enough to form a strong friendship.

Why is their love so enchanting? Possibly because they are absolutely enchanted with each other and constantly asking each other what the other is thinking- there is plentiful true and meaningful dialogue between them. The genuine interest, investment, and simple satisfaction of being together is a recipe for lasting bliss. In our simple love lives, we let the most meaningless junk get between us and the one we profess to love. Bella and Edward have a lot of speedbumps and neither is the slightest bit detoured- it makes their connection even more intense.

True love is very complicated though, and never practical- vampire and werewolf involvement or not. Bella brings up a point throughout the books, the love she feels makes her blind and oblivious, in a way, to the reality of her situation and her life in general- that's the complicated part. The good and the bad- it can seem like you are in another world with the one you love when the connection is so powerful. However, Edward and her go through several milestones, trials and tribulations that represent practical relationships. In the end, it is the sacrifice(s) one is willing to make to be with and remain with one's true love and how much reality interferes. This is true about love in general, the more sacrifice and obstacles there are to be with your love, the more enchanted you become. Bella and Edward's love is a combination of forbidden love and ultimate sacrifice.