The disco in my life

Okay, this month's Blogging for Books has got me all conflicted. On the one hand I'm enthused, because the theme is "your personal relationship with a song." And, I mean, who doesn't have one of those? Songs are everywhere, songs are eternal, it's the perfect writing topic for the masses. But it's hard to pick just ONE song I have a relationship with. There are too many and some of them are too stupid. For starters, I can personally recall the day before I left my home and my high school boyfriend, bound for college -- singing Garth Brooks' "The Dance" all the way there, in my head. "Our lives are better left to chance... I coulda missed the pai-ai-ain, but I'da had to miss... The-uh-uh-uh..... Dance." (Sob, "Our Prom!!" I wailed inside.) Hindsight... quite the personal cliché. A little embarassing, but that's the memory that happens when I hear that one, these days.

There are certainly songs in my life that, in all seriousness, make me cry every time -- one is an insturmental lullaby by Bobby McFerrin that I heard early in my pregnancy with AJ, when I was vulnerable and overwhelmed with the whole idea of becoming a Mom. Its tenderness and innocence (the words are simply, "La-la-la-la-la,") spoke to the frightened child -- me -- who just needed comforting that day. The other is a sweet Amy Grant song about believing God's going to handle things, which: Sing to me of my faith and watch out -- I really get going.

I think I'd really prefer to talk about a happy song. One that makes me laugh, and is associated with one of the sweetest memories of my life. You can laugh when I tell you. Go on, I want you to: "It's A Miracle," by Barry Manilow.

The Story?...I'd been single for nearly 2 years, and had stopped "looking." That stage where you're all of a sudden Happy with Who You Are and you realize you don't NEED a capital-R Relationship to be fulfilled. I was there: working, succeeding, hanging out with friends, but not even that -- hanging out with myself, and FINE with it. And then, at work of all places, I met a guy. There had been one or two that I'd considered 'cute,' at the office, but all of a sudden, where did this one come from?? He blew me away at first glance. When I think about it now, I realize there is, in fact, a "type" that I am attracted to, and he's It. Big, sensitive eyes (some say Puppy Dog), clean hair, tall and thin, and a straight, perfect smile. And then, after we'd talked a couple of times, I was intrigued. He didn't attempt in any overt way to flirt with me. He was Nice. He was Casual and Genuine. He was friendly, but in a way that didn't make me wonder what he wanted, and I hadn't seen that in a LONG time.

So we played Professional for a few weeks, and then, the Company Picnic. I went. He went. We chatted over ice cream, with co-workers looking on and raising their eyebrows, unbeknownst to us. When we drove away separately, I did watch his car go down the highway and note to myself, "He is a very nice guy. I wouldn't mind a date with him, even."

The very next day I was in his part of the building for a meeting. I stopped by his desk since now we were officially friends, just to exchange small talk and see his smile. My stomach was starting to feel a bit fluttery around him. He Very Casually asked me if I'd like to have lunch Wednesday. I mean, it was such a subtle invitation, I almost didn't even catch it -- y'know how coworkers team up for lunch? You going? We're going? *shrug* It was almost like that. But, as I walked away, I realized he meant "Would you like to go to lunch with ME?" and in my mind I started thinking, "It's a miracle: A guy that I'm actually attracted to, and enjoy talking with, has just asked me out!" And then, before I could stop it and thanks to a childhood full of the Barry Manilow 8-track, "It's a Miracle" started playing in my head. I practically danced down the stairs, a goofy smile oozing out of me. Not kidding.

"...And baby, there'll be
Dancin in the streets!
For the miracle
A true blue spectacle
The miracle is you!"

Perhaps you don't know this song. You're missing out -- it's disco to the Nth. And it's AWESOME. With background "doot-doot-doos" and everything. Not one of Manilow's lovey ballads, but a dance hit. 'Cause you know Manilow was a dancin' machine. (And so am I, naturally. Ahem.) It's too cheesy for words, that song -- I thought so even as it was spinning in my brain that day. But it made me laugh, too, that my heart wanted to sing a song like that, just because of a little lunch invitation. Surely you've guessed that The Guy ended up being my husband. So, that's the song that started it all for me. When I hear it, I remember the heart racing, spring-in-my-step feeling of everything being new, and... um... true-blue... and spectacular.