About thorn birds and sad lovers

I've learned that inspiration is the most important thing to write:

Finally, I've been inspired again. Well, more driven into writing seeing writing as working up what kept my mind busy for a long time...

This is only for readers and less for people who want to be entertained.

During the last days I've watched the series of 'The Thorn Birds' which I first thought to be a good thing. Here a short summary:

'This mini series covers 60 years in the lives of the Cleary family, brought from New Zealand to Australia to run their aunt Mary Carson's ranch. The story centers on their daughter, Meggie, and her love for the family's priest, Father Ralph de Bricassart. Meggie tries to forget Ralph by marrying dashing stockman Luke O'Neill, but she and Ralph are soon reunited, with tragic consequences for them both.' Written by Eric Sorensen; IMDB

I must say I know about very tragic love stories and I've often found a little shelter in some.
A wise woman has once told me I should only read about tragic lovers if I'm ready for it, old and experienced enough to understand the true meaning of the passion, joy and pain in those stories. I suppose she told me because she herself had lived through a sad realationship all her life and she wanted me to understand it.
It's the same thing Gottfried von Strassburg writes in the beginning of his work 'Tristan': People should be empathic enough to read it.

However, as I wrote, I've known lots of sad stories you probably also know:

Married Annie falling in love with the cowboy Tom Booker whose life she will never be able to share with (The horsewhisperer).

Rose falling in love with a third class passenger on the Titanic who dies when all worse things seem to be over (Titanic).

Iris being cursed by being in love with a man who does not and will never lover her back (The holiay).

Isolde having the most amazing love to Tristan, the nephew of her husband who she's been made to marry (Tristan).

And finally as I've got to known: Meggie loving, longing for and dreaming of a man she can never have because he simply is a catholic priest.

The story of Meggie and Ralph impressed me very much in the beginnig. It all seemed so dramatic but so passionated.

After the first two hours (altogether 8 hours) I thought: It might seem very difficult but the story could become so great.
Forbidden but absolutely passionated. And forever.
But the story went on and on and it got worse and worse.
See, if you are a priest you must decide to be a priest and to fully live as a priest with no exceptions. That's what Father Ralph intended to do.
But as soon as he gets to know Meggie (at the age of 7 or so) his will is tested. And this test becomes harder and harder the more she grows up.
Being about 20 she is the most beautiful woman in the world and Father Ralph recognizes that Meggie is now more than a daughter to him - he must see in the deepest depth of his heart that he slowly starts to desire her.
For her it's always been the same: She's always loved and desired him.

And here comes the problem: Dear Father is a priest and may neither have a woman nor even think of a woman.

So he leaves Meggie for good. Years later they meet again and he's tempted but resists (at least nearly). But as expected he leaves her again because he 'loves God more than Meggie'. Meggie hoping to get rid of Ralph marries another man who treats her very badly.
Ralph and Meggie meet again years later. This time he can't resist: he knows what he wants; humanly as a man and he's breaking his vow of chastity (whatever that means). But then he leaves her again because he wants to be a man of God (he's already become a cardinal).
Being in Rome Meggie back in Australia gets a baby (from Ralph, but he will not know that the son is his till the son dies).
And it's not like Meggie had a great life besides her love to Ralph: Her father, 3 brothers and her son died. She had never got love from her own mother. Her husband treated her like dirt until she left him. All these things have made her bitter through the years... and the only love she had inside she had for Ralph.

Drama, drama. It's more than tragic. I've never had such a constant throat thickening, tears for 2 hours. This is no longer empathy for me, this is cruelty.

What left me most upset isn't the idea behind the story, the idea I think to be very good; but:
That Father Ralph spent all his life living half with Meggie and half with the church and that he's never made a choice. All his ambitions and his pride made him stay in the church and his love and desire for Meggie let him return again and again. But he's never made the choice for one thing. You fool!
Of course he recognizes all his mistakes in the end (3 minutes before he dies in the arms of Meggie who finally forgives him).

I've learned through this story the importance of choice! Choices must be made.

But also:
There is a legend about a bird which sings just once in its life, more sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth. From the moment it leaves the nest it searches for a thorn tree, and does not rest until it has found one. Then, singing among the savage branches, it impales itself upon the longest, sharpest spine. And, dying, it rises above its own agony to out-carol the lark and the nightingale. One superlative song, existence the price.
But the whole world stills to listen, and God in His heaven smiles.

For the best is only bought at the price of great pain...
or so says the legend...
Ralph de Bricassart

Good day!