okay. i have a slight love for a couple of brothers– damon and stefan salvatore. they are the awesome vampire duo from ‘the vampire diaries’. these two guys have a hold on me fo’ sho’. they’re cool, passionate, and fully devoted to the girl of their dreams, elena.
i know, i know– VAMPIRES, again?!! what is it with me and these guys?
i’ve been asking myself the same question. a lot.
and, here’s where my thoughts have gone…
the salvatore brothers are tied to this world with no hope for anything more. because they are vampires they’ve lost their souls– drinking blood and avoiding the sun is as good as it’s gonna get. the idea of living day in and day out, for centuries, with the only constant being that everything will change, drives most vampires on this show to switch their emotions off and just give in to the monsters they’ve become– but not my brothers. they’re different.
they’re different because they’ve found something worth living for, worth dying for, worth changing their entire lives for– LOVE.
both damon and stefan love elena gilbert with their entire being, but their response to that love is completely different.
stefan loves elena enough to deny his nature. and this is HUGE. he has super powers for heaven’s sake!! he’s stronger, he’s faster, he can manipulate people’s thoughts– he could easily swoop in and save the day at any moment, but he doesn’t. instead he filters every thought and action through elena’s trust and love for him. stefan has even said, “because elena trusted me first i choose to trust her. ” this choice forces stefan to stand back and NOT immediately react when elena finds herself in danger. this choice moves stefan to confide in her, to seek a relationship with her based on honesty. ultimately, stefan’s decision to live a life denying his self draws he and elena closer and closer.
then there’s sweet, dysfunctional damon. poor, poor boy LOVES his brother’s girl– truly he does. but, he responds to this love purely out of the fear of losing elena. the thought is sooooooooooo heartbreaking for him he acts first and apologizes later. his life is one emotionally-driven mistake after another. damon can’t imagine a life without elena, but the way he pursues a relationship with her is filled with selfishness, manipulation, and a battle for control. he knows elena deserves the best of him, but his emotions and fear continue to keep a true relationship with the girl he loves at arm’s length. he moves two steps forward, two steps back all because he can’t surrender himself and trust.
and here, homeskillets, is why i love this show– these brothers, this love story, and how they pursue the thing worth living for reminds me of my walk with Christ. i think vampire diaries is a beautiful, twisted picture of my sanctification.
i, just like my beloved salvatore brothers, have found someone worth living for, worth dying for, worth changing my life for. i love my God with all my heart, i long for a closer relationship with Him every day, and i can say, “because Christ loved me first, i love Him.”
now, here is where i wish i could write the words ‘i’m just like stefan’.
i wish i could say the moment i gave my life to Christ i totally let go of my self and began filtering every thought and action through the ONLY relationship worthy of my surrender. i wish i could say my life reflects the peace that comes from choosing NOT to live according to my nature.
of course, during my walk with the Lord there have been definite moments, days, weeks of beautiful surrender.
but on the whole……
uhmmmmmmmm. yeah. not.so.much.
poor, poor, dysfunctional ‘skillet.
i love the Lord with all my heart– but, i’m a little more on the damon side of things most of the time. i react out of my emotions INSTEAD out of the trust i have in Christ, i definitely act first and apologize later (uhmmmm, crazy eyes anyone?), and most of the time– my fear of losing control leads to making one mistake after another.
if this were it, i’d say i was in BIG trouble. thankfully, my love story is not a fantasy based on mythical creatures. my love story is fully based on Christ’s love for me– and He’s given me the gift of this life to grow into a woman that reflects His love– which is DEFINITELY worth living, dying, and changing for.
this homeskillet life 
Ok. SOLD. 🙂 I am going to have to get netflix to send me the first season of Vampire Diaries. Did you ever watch True Blood? I think my sister tried both, but I can’t remember which one she told me she liked better. I am thinking it was Vampire Diaries……. I always love a good love triangle. Those unrequited love stories are my favorite.
I love this – I was actually thinking about that reference as you explained it. I’m so much more Damon than Stefan that idk where I stand with “Elana” anymore. Your posts so hopeful. Its a pleasant change. I’m glad to read that you had such a moving experience in Haiti.