the difference between love and possession, like the conversation between dani and jamie in bly manor is shown so well through olivia and nellie crain in hill house.
nellie loved her family unconditionally, loved them enough to forgive them without question, to let them go, to want nothing but goodness and warmth for them.
whereas olivia wanted them for herself, didn’t want them to leave her alone again. i believe that she truly thought that what she did was love them, but essentially she just clung onto them and tried to keep them from living their lives outside of her.
which is why olivia kept bringing them back and dooming them by binding them to the house and nellie’s unwavering love was essentially what saved them all.
loving someone is supporting them, cherishing them, forgiving them and growing with them. we so often confuse that with trying to change them, take charge for them and owing them.
mike flanagan you absolute genius.
