"At the beginning and at the end of love, the two lovers are embarrassed to find themselves alone"

Love’s trajectory often starts and concludes with a peculiar sense of unfamiliarity between two people, as Jean de la Bruyère insightfully outlines. When lovers first meet, there is an unmistakable awkwardness that permeates their initial encounters. Alone together, they stand at the threshold of emotional intimacy, their hearts filled with anticipation but restrained by uncertainty. Each gesture, each silence, is amplified, as neither knows quite how to bridge the gap between acquaintance and true connection. They are, in a sense, strangers navigating the uncertain terrain of possibility, cautious about exposing too much of themselves too soon.

As the relationship blossoms, this early shyness dissolves into comfort and familiarity. Love grows, memories accumulate, and shared experiences build a private world only they inhabit. The embarrassment vanishes as they become each other's confidant and close companion; being together alone feels natural and essential. They speak without words, and silences transform into expressions of deep trust rather than awkwardness.

Yet, as love reaches its twilight or approaches an end, lovers often find themselves returned to that original awkwardness. The familiarity that once bound them erodes, leaving behind echoes of awkwardness remarkably similar to their first encounters. Alone together now, they sense the gulf that separation will carve. Words become heavier, meanings double-edged and uncertain. The confidence to share and the desire for honesty may falter, replaced by anxiety about the future or the pain of goodbye. The shared intimacy, which once seemed unbreakable, recedes, and they stand together uncertain of how to say farewell, feeling exposed once more. Thus, the arc of love is marked by two points of vulnerability, its beginning and its ending, where being alone together is most challenging, reflecting both the fragility and profundity of human connection.