So I've never really gotten into the whole Twilight fan thing. I read the books, and I enjoy Meyer's style. What never jelled in my mind was the whole vampire thing. And werewolves. Don't dig it really, and in that aspect I'd rather hear about magicians at Hogwarts.

Yet I watched Eclipse last night at the movie theatre, and I suddenly realized the value to the whole Twilight enterprise.


For those unenlightened souls, Eclipse literally refers to the "eclipse" in Bella's life; continuing to decide and choose between the love of her life, Edward Cullen (vamp), and her friend Jacob (werewolf) whom can give her a happy, human life. Jacob thus "eclipses" Edward in this story. Furthermore, the story is about an army of vampires who are coming after the Cullen family and Bella, and so the Cullens and werewolves must band together to fight evil.



In all honesty, all us ladies know why the movies got drastically better after Twilight; the introduction of Jacob Black as a love interest, and an illegitimate one at that (and Taylor Lautner's body, but I digress). And things certainly heat up when Bella and Jacob share a couple of intimate moments. As Jacob himself aptly puts it in the movie; "Let's face it, I am hotter than you."



Yet Eclipse stood out for me not because of Lautner, or the moving cinematography, but because the simple message of love resonated throughout the movie. Even the fight against the vampires showed love in the sense that these forces acted together to protect Bella.



Bella chose Edward not because he would give her an easier life, but because it was always him. She admitted to loving Jacob, yet even though he could give her almost everything she could want in life, and would be ten times better for her in anybody else's eyes, he would not be able to be Edward.

Is that not love is all about, really? Sacrifice for the one you love? If we are no longer willing to make sacrifices for someone, or the sacrifices outweigh the positives, then it is not love. I'm not even considering the whole weird vampire/werewolf thing in this equation, but rather the universal idea. Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same. Not always. But we know in our hearts when it is the case.

Just because someone has everything you could ask for, doesn't mean you should be with him.