Love Me For Life

It was Spring 1990, he played it on the car radio as we chatted overlooking Mount Greylock's breathtaking view. Massachusetts, Marilyn, and Michael, three Ms, three self-inspirational epiphanies of a young budding love, one that would never flower despite its potential.

We went our separate ways, but the lyrics were a gift. Perhaps not meant to unwrap fully thirty years ago, but the romantic in me pulled the ribbon. And I kept my hand on the streamer, tugging just a little bit more throughout the decades to come.

Love Me for Life by Stevie B felt magical way back when young adult me had stars in my eyes, envisioning living with my lifelong partner. Walking arm in arm, through the good, the bad, and the ugly, and continuing that walk together despite every twist and turn on the path of requited love. While the vision of my eighteen-year-old self did not manifest in real time, the dream never died.

A timeless love song that transcends hormones and youth, sang its simple message with greater meaning, much later, when experience and maturity revealed the greater gifts.

Love, for me, has been a couple of heavy-duty relationships; one with an addict, another with an abusive man, and all the in betweens and since afters have fallen short of my romanticized expectations, yet somewhere in it all, my hope, my wish, my longing for true love has never waned.

Why?

Because my heart is filled with so much love, meant to share with another, someone, someday, somewhere, and because of two beautiful people who mean the world to me- My Mum & Dad.

American sailor meets lovely young lady; my parents' story never ceases to inspire me. Married after only a few months of dating, they celebrated their 55th Wedding anniversary yesterday.

Love Me For Life has a simplistic appeal. No need for prolific lyrics, sentiments sell themselves in an early 90s song that many might not know.

These past few days have been

Beautiful and bright

I want you to be part of my life

It′ll work out fine

Never imagined (Never imagined that)

You would feel for me

'Cause I thought that I was the only one

Who felt this way

Perhaps an underrated song, but this one heralds an offering: Somewhere, a person awaits the one who is searching, someone who feels as deeply as they do.

Love in its purest, simplest form has a funny way of finding a person, just when what was previously thought of as lost, finally steps in by way of faith.

Call me a romantic, and I will say, thank you, because I am.

While a much older me understands some moments in life are fleeting, I have memories, and these fond memories, though boxed and neatly put into perspective, have ribbons attached. These ribbons are braided in my spirit, waiting to become tangible future gifts.

When one day, someone will love me for life.

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Check out the unofficial challenge here👇

A bonus song and another by Stevie B, about the seasons of love.