Christabelle M.

Lumalang

12 – A. montani

Of Love and Other Breakable Things

Having to reflect over something I didn’t find joy in is quite difficult. I’m kidding; I was
being a bit harsh on Every Day. Although I didn’t enjoy the film overall, there are some parts
that was okay-ish, I think? But no more of that! Now’s not the time for digging my personal
quarries for the movie.

One of David Levithan’s intentions when he wrote the book was to deliver the message
“Love is love—no gender and no race”. In a world where humans that are part of these
spectrums are scrutinized, it is a sensible and sensitive way of representing the spectrums.
Growing up, I was taught to love—to marry, rather, someone from the opposite gender and to
take the hand of the same gender is deemed immoral and wrong. I didn’t find it weird until I
reached 9th grade when I learned the different waves of feminism. Since then, I vowed to be an
ally of the LGBTGIA+ community and those who are often oppressed like POCs and minority
groups. It was then that I realized that what I was taught growing up was absurd and
oppressive. Everyone has a right to decide who they love. It shouldn’t be dictated at a young
age where we are gullible and full of naivety. Every Day showed us that love isn’t based on
one’s physical qualities; riches/state in life; race; gender and sexuality; etc. “Love is love” is one
way to simply put it.

While we also get to follow A and Rhiannon’s blossoming love story, we all know that
too much of something is bad . . . even if that something is love. When we reached the point of
the movie where things are too good to be true, we should know that it’s the indication of an
incoming conflict. Specifically, for this film, the part where they deviated from their original
selves is the conflict. It is explicitly stated in both the book and the movie that A can stay in a
person’s body longer than a day IF the person has lost the will to live. They didn’t “borrowed”
that person’s body (sorry, I forgot the name), A stole the body just so he could prolong their
relationship’s inevitable and bittersweet end. It’s a common red flag among love films that the
moment that love changed the characters in a bad way, things will come to an end. It was a
selfish act. And it’s what humanized A, in a way, because he’s this wandering extraterrestrial
being, right? When I watched this part, it reminded me of myself—humanity, rather. How
selfish can we be just so we can enjoy a good moment of love and bliss? It’s quite baffling to
wrap my head around that us, humans, are willing to bend the sea just so we can have our
shots at something so abstract. But it did made me think.
 One part of the movie that made me ponder was the relationship of Justin and
Rhiannon. It is stated in the book that what they wrap themselves in is a toxic relationship. Let’s
dive into that more clearly. Whenever Rhiannon is near Justin, she always makes herself feel
small because that is what Justin’s giving off. He doesn’t make her feel special, and he takes her
for granted for most of their relationship. But even with pain and hurt in her heart, she still
chose to not leave Justin until the part where Justin discovered her relationship with A. My
point here is that people who underwent emotional abuse or experienced emotional
abandonment doesn’t know how to pinpoint love and not love. It got me to thinking about
people in a toxic, abusive, and manipulative relationship. I cannot imagine what they’re going
through and I can only do so much. It made me thankful for my healthy relationships with
people I love and cherish.

While humans are selfish for love, they are also selfless for love. It is depicted that A was
selfless because he chose to let Rhiannon go. It was an obvious but bittersweet end to their
tale. There was no way they could work out their relationship in the future because it was
impossible. A realized that and left for a good reason. And in real life, you just have to be
selfless for people important to you. To be selfless is to put their needs before your own wants.
It can be intimidating but once you’re in that certain moment, you really won’t mind anything.

What can be derived from this is that love can touch human emotions on a deeper,
sensible, and abstract way. It fills us with joy, disdain, anger, jealousy, fragility, tranquility, etc.
Bottom line is love makes us feel extraordinary things. We thrive on love; may it be love for a
person, love for your job . . . anything. It makes us fall in love with life and see the world in rose-
tainted glasses. Most importantly, love also tells us when to stop—when it’s too much already.
And I think, that, in its sense, is beautiful.