Lessons From a Love Affair

 It was 8:07 pm, Sunday, February 9, 1964.  I remember it like it was Yesterday. That was the exact moment I fell head over heels madly and passionately in Real Love.  I had never felt that way In My Life!  I melted when he said ‘close your eyes and I’ll kiss you…’   Then he said ‘I'll always be true’.   OH! MY! GOODNESS!!  I Want to Tell You, I had to hold my breath to keep from screaming!

Since that night, my love affair with The Beatles has never waned.   I've Got a Feeling it is not normal that I haven’t outgrown my craziness over this band.

Do You Want to Know a Secret? A very large autographed photo of Paul hangs on the wall next to my desk.  I have every song they ever recorded on my iPod. I won’t even tell you about some of the silly memorabilia I've kept all these years Because it’s a little embarrassing.  But, I Will tell you some of the positive things this 50 year love affair has taught me.

I LEARNED TO BE INNOVATIVE.   I wasn't allowed to use tape on my bedroom walls so I hung their pictures with bits of chewed gum.  (That got me in more trouble than the tape and my Mother said You Can’t Do That!!).

I LEARNED ABOUT HARD WORK AND SACRIFICE.   I tried to do extra chores Eight Days a Week and saved every penny to buy their music, pictures and stuff.  Sometimes, I would skip lunch and pocket the lunch Money my Dad left for me on the kitchen counter each morning. (35 cents!)

I LEARNED TO SHOP FOR THE BEST VALUE FOR MY DOLLAR.    Across the Universe the albums were definitely the best value!   (79 cents for 2 songs on a 45 rpm = 39.5 cents per song.    $2.99 for about 12 songs on a 33 1/3 rpm = 25 cents per song)

I LEARNED ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS.   One week, I would put the records in alphabetical order.  The next week they would be organized in the order of their recording.  The next they would be in the order of how I liked them best.  Then I would Get Back to the original order.

I LEARNED ABOUT TEAMWORK.   My little sister and neighborhood girlfriends would Come Together, brush our hair into our faces, pretend our batons were guitars, transform the sofa pillows into drums, turn the stereo loud and perform an entire Beatles album.  We were really Something!

I LEARNED TO COMPROMISE.    Jan, my little sister sometimes had the Devil in Her Heart.  If she couldn't be Ringo, she would cry and threaten to rat me out about something which we both knew would make our Mother Twist and Shout.  So, I said, "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah...you can be Ringo!"

Here are a few more I thought of Yesterday…

Sometimes I need Help and sometimes I just need to Let It Be.

A Ticket to Ride is a good thing after A Hard Day’s Night.

If You’ve Got Trouble, We Can Work It Out.

I Feel Fine when I Act Naturally.

Even though Money is Something I work hard for, it Can’t Buy Me Love and the Taxman will get much of it.

It’s best to know when You Can’t Do That.

When I feel like The Fool on the Hill, if I just Drive My Car down a Long and Winding Road, listening to Rock and Roll Music,  when I Get Back, I Will feel Free As A Bird.

I’m sure I’ll love The Beatles even more When I’m Sixty-Four!

From Me to You…Happy Friday and Cheers!

Lynn

The End