Another old song. And a blog forty plus years in the writing.
I remember when this song came out. Heck I remember when Olivia Newton-John first emerged as a major talent. Her soft voice, romantic lyrics, and lovely face were a huge hit. When I Honestly Love You came out, I was as enthralled as most of the rest of the listening public.
The song stuck with me, for decades. I read my first romance in 1984, and came across the trope of hero/heroine leaving town because they can’t be with the one they love, or they can’t stand that person being with some else, or…or…or.
And I began to wonder. Yes, it’s a great fantasy theme. But, do people really act like this? Do they really leave town or change their lives because they can’t find happiness without that one true love? Yes, I’ve met people who have emoted at length about their one true love and how they’ll die without them. But these people have always seemed to be on stage all the time. If their life doesn’t overflow with DRAMA, they don’t feel alive. Not, I would say, hero/heroine material. At least not for me.
Then we get to the part where she sings: “I’m not trying to make you feel uncomfortable…it’s coming from my heart and not my head.” Great romantic line, not so much on the ‘real life’ scale. “There you are with yours, here I am with mine.” We both have other commitments but I just had to blurt this out and possibly muck up multiple lives.
In a world where day time drama is preferred entertainment, followed closely by fake reality shows, maybe this is the best and most perfect expression of ‘love’. I’m seriously wondering since I never believed much in throwing everything away to follow my ‘heart’ or maybe I never came across a man worth the effort? I know when I met Tom, my immediate thought was ‘I’m going to marry this man.’ It didn’t happen for a long time, and in the meantime, I went about my own life.
Maybe I just lack the necessary passion? Hard to say. What do you think?
For now, I think the sun shining, the wind’s blowing, and I need to get the topper off my truck. I’ll be back to work on edits for A Question of Faith, and finally let those poor people in A Question of Truth get together.
Good Morning Sunshine
Mona Karel Author 