only love

A couple of weekends ago, my family spent the day in Prince Edward County, celebrating my father-in-law's 75 birthday. It was a wonderful day and we were all pretty tired on the long drive home. 

Since the kids both had there headphones on, I started looking through my ipod for music I hadn't heard in a while. I decided I was in the mood for PEI's Lennie Gallant (did you know that practically every second person on the East side of PEI is named Gallant? It really is the name on every other mailbox).

As we listened, Tim and I remembered that one of our first dates was a Lennie Gallant concert at Artspace in Peterborough. I will never forget that evening. Lennie definitely has a special place in my heart.

As we listened, I remembered that, after I quit a job many years ago, I played a song of his over and over in my office. I even had the lyrics taped to my computer. For my last three weeks in the office, I listened to it many times a day.

I thought it was an angry song that I used to bolster myself through a difficult time. I couldn't recall what it was but as the first notes came through the speakers, I remembered.

And it went like this: 

"Only love will guide us through this time
As long as there's one flame
We have a lifeline"

I was so surprised and pleased to be reminded that, at at time when I was very angry, I was affirming to myself that love would get me through.

I wrote this post in my head that Saturday night in the car and then kind of forgot about it. But now, as emotions are running high around the Ontario election, I feel the need to remind myself what matters.

Love isn't the only thing we need to effect real change but it is the most necessary ingredient. We can't get anywhere without it.