Ploning: The Mary of Her Era?

To keep a man's attention, a woman, they said, must have an "air of mystery."

Now that I delve deeper into Ploning's story, I am getting the impression that the more I learn about the movie and the storyline, the less I know. Thus, to me, she is a "mystery."

I was musing on the character of Ploning and what was her “inner mystery.” According to the storyline, the fact that she lacked a lover had made her the magnet of gossip and intrigue.

• Is it just “the fact” that she seemed to be careening into spinsterhood?
• Is it the fact that she had held out for her one true love?
• Is it her simplicity?
• Is it her barrio-lass charm?
• Is it because the townsfolk are speculating that there may well be a secret that she is hiding?

But as an observer, I wonder what is that “mystery” thing that the girly magazines mention. Men mouth it over and over, that they want their women to have that “mystery,” that “thing” that would make them want to explore the female object of their affections. As far as I’ve read, as a teen (not too long ago :p), “mystery” keeps a woman interesting to a man. When the “mystery” is gone, the man gets bored, and...

The relationship fizzles.

So what is it that would keep a man fascinated with the love of his life?

It still beats me.

I have my ideals, but I am not a man, so I cannot suppose.

But there is something about Ploning that I thought was a little parallel to Mary, the mother of Jesus, the Messiah. Mary, when she found out that she was going to have a baby, the Son of God, retreated to her cousin Elizabeth. Meaning, though she was understandably excited, she had the prudence to keep her joy a secret.

Then later, when she was perturbed when the child Jesus was lost, and she and her husband Joseph had found the young Messiah-to-be in the temple, she was probably so astonished at seeing “her own child” discussing capably with the temple elders, then telling her, “You should have known I was in my Father’s house.” (Paraphrased from Luke 2:49) And yet, even through her astonishment, she “treasured all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2:51)

If you had your one true love go away, with only a covenant between the two of you to sustain you, no text messaging, no email, no instant messaging, no phone calls, no webcam to survive with, would you be able to survive the wagging tongues of your neighbors? Would you be able to survive the loneliness that the distance would have brought? Would you, like Ploning, be able to just keep these things treasured in her heart, venting out all her frustrations by rubbing that piece of stone on the boulder that you perch on daily, waiting for the love of your life?

Would you, like Mary, survive not telling anyone else but your cousin, that you are the mother of the Son of God, God Himself (”I and the Father are One”)?!

Would you, then, if you're a girl, be able to keep that "air of mystery" about you by "keeping things in your heart?"

I don’t think I would.