The Three Marriages summary

There are few things more confusing than romance. For a while, it seems like the easiest and most wonderful thing on earth; but soon things start getting messy and complicated.

People don’t often realize how hard it is to commit fully to a romance. And if lovers want to make it all the way to marriage, they have to be prepared for some tough times. Contrary to popular belief, love does not grant instant happiness; it requires sacrifices and compromises.

Over 600 years ago, a poor, illiterate peasant woman had a vision in which three saints who commanded her to drive the foreign invaders from her country and return the crown to the land’s rightful king. And while not all of us have experienced as clear a vision as Joan of Arc, most people have felt a dream or calling deep within themselves.

But what many of us fail to do is pay close attention to this call.

Have you ever spent a whole day trying to motivate yourself to do something creative, and found that no matter what you do, nothing works?

Then you know what it’s like to feel blocked: it’s frustrating and depressing.

Many of us grow up with the belief that marriage is a central goal in one’s life. But, as the life story of Jane Austen shows, you can’t always fully commit to both your partner and your job.

Jane Austen’s classic novels, like Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park, are perfect fantasy material for modern singles longing for a time when finding a partner was so much easier. But many readers are amazed that Austen could so accurately depict loving relationships when they learn that the novelist herself never actually married.

Have you ever marveled at the simplicity, courage and honesty of children? They seem to have many of the attributes we admire in enlightened adults.

This is largely because they are still in touch with their inner selves, a point of contact that most adults are sorely lacking.

Do you sometimes get annoyed with the perpetual optimism preached by self-help books? Don’t worry; despite what these books might say, there’s nothing wrong with you.

It’s natural to feel negative emotions; if you learn to embrace them, it can lead to a positive transformation. For instance, Buddhist philosophy doesn’t understand pain or depression as negatives. Instead, if you learn how to adopt the right perspective, these feelings will lead to a deeper understanding of the self.

Many of us have dreams of becoming more popular, stronger and smarter than we currently are. But if we’re not careful, these dreams can do more harm than good.

If we ever want to accept the self, we first have to accept our current situation. This includes accepting painful truths, like our ultimate loneliness in the world. To do so, we have to allow ourselves to feel the depths of our isolation by spending time alone and doing absolutely nothing.