Relationships Supposed To Last Forever?

Before Sunrise 35 EXTERIOR: RESTAURANT - NIGHT

Jesse: And this older friend of mine said, at the birth of his child--it was a home birth and he was there helping out and everything--at that profound moment of birth, all he could think about was death. That he was seeing something experience life for the first time, struggling for a breath, and knowing that it was going to die someday. He couldn't get it out of his head.

Celine: I think that's why life is so interesting--because it's going to end.

Jesse: I know. Death ups the ante of being alive.

Celine: It's the same for us tonight, though. If we knew we were going to see each other next week, it would not be the same energy, no?

Jesse: Yeah, I know.

Celine: Do you think we will see each other after tomorrow morning?

Jesse: I don't know. What do you think?

Celine: I asked you.

Jesse: Hummm. I'm thinking now...I don't know if I'm going to be in Europe again anytime soon. Are you coming to the U.S. for any reason?

Celine: Oh, God, I don't want to get into the practical side of how we'd see each other again. Flying. Let's be rational adults about this.

Jesse: Okay, uh, rational.

Celine: We should try something different. It's not so bad if tonight is our only night. Maybe it makes it really special.

Jesse: Yeah, usually you exchange numbers and call each other once, maybe write each other once or twice...

Celine: And then the slow fizzle.

Jesse: I hate that.

Celine: There was this famous writer--I don't remember who-- who said the ideal relationship was two intense years, with clean breaks, fresh starts, friends for life, something like that. It's like if you knew your relationship had to end in two years, there would be no room for fighting or wasted time. THere could be more love and appreciation for one another. It's like, if everyone you met you knew was going to die at midnight, you would be a much more compassionate person. I mean, everyone's going to die, but since no one knows when, there's all the time in the world to be assholes to one another.

Jesse: Why do we think that relationship are supposed to last forever anyway, and that anything less is a failure? But I hate the thought that we're just these ships passing in the night. I think the only time I get depressed is when I feel that life is just this series of momentary connections. I mean, of all the people you've ever known, how many of them are still in your life in any way? What happened to all the people you grew up with? Miss Van Sickle, my bus driver in frist grade--what's she up to? What kind of life is she having?

Celine: But for some people, there are no real good-byes. I think if you have a meaningful experience with someone else, a true communication, they are with you forever in a way. We are all a part of each other in ways we'll never know.

Jesse: So it's a deal? We die in the morning?

Celine: I think it's the only way. I don't want to cheapen what's special about our time together. If we push for something more, it's like we're trying to commodify ourselves or something.

Jesse: Okay, no delusions. No projections. Let's just make the rest of tonight great.

Celine: And it'll be ours forever.

Jesse: We should do some kind of special handshake or something.

Celine: Okay.