Perhaps Love

On Saturday, September 1, 2018, I listened to/watched recap of two major funerals – Aretha Franklin’s and John McCain’s.

After a couple hours, sinking into sadness, I had to turn the TV off.

I tried to soothe myself with music, beginning with Peter, Paul & Mary. But that tipped me deeper into the morass – not their music, but the memories stirred by it.

So I grabbed my John Denver CD. One of the songs, Perhaps Love, has this final verse:

If I should live forever,
and all my dreams come true
my memories of love
will be of you.

I spent some time reviewing my intimate relations, but none stood out as the one.

The next morning – my 75th birthday – I sat with a group of people who have chosen to trudge a particular path with me.

My eyes opened. YOU can be plural!

I shared with them that I’d grown up with John Denver, which drew a laugh.

“Well, he was born in 1943 like me,” I said, “and he sang from his heart, often breaking mine.”

I recited the final verse of Perhaps Love, pointing around the room as I reached the word YOU.

A week later, I tried to play that CD. It hitched and stopped before reaching that beautiful song.

No matter, the words are etched deep into my heart.