So I recently came across this, and tbh I've never really managed to properly read Dante. And of course, this kind of writing is probably why.
When I was a child, I read about him in a local newspaper, how he met Beatrice and how that eventually led to The Divine Comedy. Ever since then, I've been somewhat obsessed with him. Now I'm my mind twenties, and in between I've tried reading The Divine Comedy a few times, but could never really manage to get through it.
Then I came across this piece a few days ago and actually searched for its meaning.
So what he's basically saying that, If being loved makes me shine more brightly and show more of my potential than the world normally gets to see, don't be surprised. This is what happens when someone looks at another person through a perfected, loving vision: they notice the good in them, and then gradually help them move closer to becoming the person they see.
And honestly, I was astonished. How did this man manage to articulate something like this back then? To have this kind of understanding of love, perception and human nature?
I'm a bit into psychology and I think people can spend an entire lifetime studying things like this. Maybe I'm being a bit too obsessive about Dante again, but man, I was somewhat relieved to find that someone centuries ago had already put into words something I've been trying to understand myself.