From the Land of 10,000 Lakes

Anne Van De Veer, 16, won a $100 worth of gifts for this entry in an essay contest sponsored by something called Teens Against Dating Abuse. (I don't take lightly the apparent purpose of this something, merely the multiple references suggested by the object of the preposition.)

In her essay Miss Van De Veer confesses:

Now I’m 16; still pretty young and not very experienced in dating relationships. But I do know something about love. I know what love isn’t.

Right. And I know something about Timbuktu...because I have never been there. But leaving aside this bit of Palinesque logic (in honor of the candidate from Alaska who knows all about Russia because she can see it outside her window), one can glance further down Anne's essay and realize that she's at least trying to get at something:

If the person you love has a sense of humor and teases you, that’s fine, but I feel that real love is seeing the line, and staying away from it. When the teasing is too much, and it perhaps turns mean, then they’ve crossed a highly important line. Then it’s no longer funny and the relationship isn’t as healthy as it ought to be. Teasing in a hurting way is not really love...

...Love is kindness, honesty, forgiveness, differences, imperfections, and disagreements. However, we are blessed with the ability to love infinitely.

But, hey! What do I know about love?

Probably more than I know, Anne dearest. I reached the Age of Indifference long ago.