Brandon Ellrich, Writer/Author/Poet

Blind Dates

In some cases, it would’ve been better if I had been truly blind

Author’s photo; No, I’m not posing as a thug. I just didn’t have a blindfold.

Blind Dates

Several years ago, I was friends with a Southern Baptist preacher and his wife. This was before I came out. We played cards on the weekends and they were nice enough people, though the preacher was pretty much bipolar.

They wanted me to meet this female friend of theirs and decided to set up a group date. The group consisted of the preacher and his wife, “K” and her sister with me and a male friend of mine. We went to see a movie and then went to dinner. We had a good time, overall, but I felt very awkward. I tried to be pleasant and make small talk, but the “date” part just wasn’t working, for obvious reasons.

It was a time in my life when I was depressed and trying to live like a “normal” person. Has there been a time in your life when you tried to conform to what other people thought you should be? It’s stressful and sometimes exhausting.

Needless to say (although I’m still saying it; what’s the point of that phrase, anyway?), it didn’t work out. Later, my date told her sister that I didn’t hold the door open for her. I don’t remember that moment at all and it certainly doesn’t sound like me, but oh well. Sorry, “K” — next time I would hold the door, but there won’t be a next time.

Not long after that, I came out to one of my friends and she set me up on a blind date. That could be great, right? My friend knows me so she should know whether we would be compatible. We went out as a group, which made it much less awkward. My friend, her niece, the guy, and a “couple” (guy and girl) friends of his.

I knew immediately that my friend had made a mistake. This guy was not at all my type, physically. As the night went on I found that our personalities didn’t mesh either.

At the restaurant, we asked each other questions, which ended up being a bit awkward in front of everyone else. However, it would’ve been even weirder had we been alone.

I don’t ascribe to all the gay stereotypes, so when he asked about some of these, like if I liked Cher (I don’t really care for her), I said no. He said, “Are you sure you’re gay?” I almost spit out my drink as my friend started laughing. It seemed we had nothing in common besides the fact that we were both gay.

This happens all the time. “I know someone you should meet. He’s gay too!” Well then, by all means, let me ring the chapel and schedule a wedding day.

Anyway, back to the date. The real clincher came when he went outside for a smoke. For me, smoking was a deal-breaker.

We still had a good time and ordered drinks. Mine came in a really cool, blue glass. After I drank it, my friend to put it in her purse. Even though it wasn’t a great date, it was my first date with a guy so she thought I should commemorate it.

That same friend set me up on another blind date. Why would I agree to do it again? I don’t know, I guess I was desperate, okay?

We met at Country Kitchen late one night. He was actually quite cute. The problem was he was not a talker and neither was I. We basically just sat there not saying much at all.

I can be a very social person, but I tend to feed off of others. If someone is able to get a conversation going, I am easily able to keep up, adding my thoughts and responding appropriately about the subject. However, if it’s left up to me to come up with the subject, we’re up a creek.

We didn’t exchange numbers and never spoke again. I sort of regret it and wish I would’ve given it another chance.

I had another friend just a couple of years ago that said that there was this guy that I should meet (only because he was gay, probably). We were all three supposed to meet at this grill-and-bar-type restaurant because their specialty was seafood and had these supposedly great fish tacos. I’d never had fish tacos.

The guy was flabbergasted that I had NEVER HAD FISH TACOS! You know those people. The ones who say, “You mean you’ve NEVER _________ [fill in the blank]?!” as if you’re from another planet because you’ve never experienced this thing that every other person on the face of the Earth surely has done.

So, “Fish Taco” and I showed up at the restaurant, but my friend “suddenly” had something come up and couldn’t make it. We were set up. I should’ve seen it coming.

We got a table and from the moment we sat down until we left, Fish Taco did NOT STOP TALKING. Exaggeration? Barely. The only time he wasn’t talking was when his mouth was busy with the thing that everyone on Earth has surely tried. This was the only time I was given the opportunity to speak.

The rest of the time, he talked about his ex-wife, how he wanted to move to California, and how much money he made. Do you know who cares to hear about all of those things? Nobody.

I swear the ONE QUESTION he asked me the entire time was, “How’s the taco?”

Seriously. That’s it.

The only information he learned about me was what I voluntarily told him while he was chewing his food or taking a drink. I had to time it just right, though. If we were both chewing at the same time, I’d lost my chance.

So, you’re probably dying to know the answer to that same question, how were the tacos?

Fine.

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A Clump of Hair In My Drain

Are these signs of aging? I don’t think so

shows a stainless steel sink drain — Photo by Jadon Kelly on Unsplash

First of all, no — I’m not going to tell you how old I am. Secondly, I am not getting old. Third…I can’t remember what the third thing was.

These are signs that, for some people, might indicate that they are advancing in years and going through changes that are inevitable. For me, they are just temporary.

Why isn’t the water going down the drain?

Oh! There’s hair in it… A lot of hair. That’s not my hair. Some of it’s white. Who’s been in my tub? Yes, it’s the same length as the others, but that’s not my hair. Old people have white hair. I’m not old.

It’s not my hair.

Why is my phone so blurry when I hold it close to my face? The lighting in here is terrible. Maybe I need LED bulbs. Maybe I should turn down the brightness on my phone screen. Why do I have to hold it so far away? My arm isn’t long enough. It’s not like I need glasses. I don’t need glasses. I’ve had perfect vision all of my life; why would I suddenly need glasses? Glasses are for old people. I’m not old.

I don’t need glasses.

Why is my knee creaking and popping? My legs seem stiff when I get up. Something must be wrong. This kind of stuff doesn’t just…happen. These sound like things that happen when people get old. I’m still young. I won’t go to the doctor, because it’s temporary. I probably need to exercise more. The only thing is, I get tired more easily and I can’t run for as long as I used to. Oh well, exercise is boring anyway.

It’s just a phase; it’ll go away.

Why did I come into this room? I know I came in here to get something.
What was it? I’m looking around the room. I don’t see anything on the bookshelf that I would need. Boxes, tubs, a desk… What was it? Damn. Maybe if I go back to the living room I’ll remember. It’s just a few yards away. How can I not remember why I came in here?!

I’m just distracted.

Why are these TikTokkers getting so many views and followers? They don’t even DO anything. Sure, they’re young, fit, and attractive, but all they’re doing is lip-syncing while they’re dancing. How are they making so much money? It’s pointless! TikTok is not for young people; it’s for stupid people. That’s something my dad would say. He’s usually wrong, but maybe this time he’s not so far off-base.

TikTok…pshhh!

“Why’s it so cold in here, Uncle Brandon?” Are you paying the electric bill? I didn’t think so. Put on a jacket. And by the way, I can tell you what’s in the fridge. You don’t have to stand there with the door open, searching for something. Oh, you wanna watch something on Disney+? I don’t have Disney f***ing Plus! Paramount+, Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube TV, AppleTV — You think I’m gonna pay for all those different streaming services? That’s how they getcha! “Who’s ‘they’?” Oh, be quiet and turn on the news.

Do they think I’ve got money like Elon Musk?

Kids today.

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*Originally published on Medium.

7 Life Lessons I Learned from My Cats

Caturday February 25, 2023

Image shows a “cat tree” with a calico cat and black cat sitting on different levels. The calico is looking out the window. — Author’s photo; Zak and Zoe enjoying their “tree.”

I obviously missed “Love Your Pet Day” on Monday, but I love my cats every day so I don’t need a designated holiday for it.

I was inspired by Robin Wilding’s post “7 Life Lessons I’ve Learned from my Grumpy Old Dog.”

Cats can be many things — cuddly, calming, loyal, funny, and quite clever. For all their wonderful qualities, they often get a bad reputation. However, many important and educational lessons can be gleaned from examining the way they go through their daily lives.

Shut Up and Be Patient

Image shows a calico cat looking down at a bit of string poking out from underneath a rug. — Author’s photo; Zoe “stalking” a string

When dogs go after something, they are very loud and obnoxious. They don’t hide the fact that they are in pursuit of their game. A cat, however, is very quiet, carefully stalking, moving inch by inch, and sometimes even sitting silently outside of a mousehole, waiting for their prey to emerge.

A dog and its relatives often hunt in packs as well, but most cats take down their prey on their own, though there are exceptions. A cat will wait it out and eventually get what they’re after.

Most of us don’t have to hunt for our food, but we do have to hunt for jobs, housing, and sometimes a partner. If we are impatient and take the first thing to come along, many times it results in disappointment. A little patience can make all the difference.

Be Cautious

Image shows a black cat hiding under a blanket. — Author’s photo; Zak hiding under a blanket.

When I open the back door to let my cats outside, they look around and shift their heads back and forth a bit before stepping out. When meeting someone that visits the house — especially for the first time — they must smell the person’s hand before they’ll allow the person to pet them (IF they even come out of hiding).

When entering into an unknown situation, do you jump in with both feet? Do you ask questions, research, and look over the contract or terms of service before signing or clicking “accept”? Being a bit more cautious can save you a lot of headaches later on.

Remain Balanced

Image shows a calico cat perched on the shelf of a cat tree. — Author’s photo; Zoe sitting on the shelf of a cat tree.

As most people are aware, cats have great balance. They easily walk thin lines at great heights and you’ve probably heard the saying many times that they “always land on their feet.”

“When cats are off balance, their inner ear lets them know. They start righting themselves with their heads, and then their front feet and body follow behind.” Vet Street

Their flexible back and lack of a collarbone help as well. They can twist around easily if they fall and then land safely on their feet.

I’m sure we’ve all experienced or heard about it — the struggle for balance between work and home life. If you play around all the time, you won’t have time to make enough money to support yourself. However, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” It also won’t bode well for your family.

Entering into a relationship can be challenging. When you’re single, you develop a certain routine of work and leisure. Adding someone else into your life requires some adjustments. You have to compromise and learn to balance.

Relax

Author’s photo; Zoe lounging on the carpet

Cats are pretty “chill,” for the most part. There are exceptions, but most will lounge around with their eyes half closed like Garfield. They don’t get overly excited when you come home or stressed out about you leaving. I do have a cat named Zak that has a bit of anxiety (a true scaredy-cat), but anxiety appears more in certain breeds of dogs rather than cats.

There are a lot of things we can be concerned about in our daily lives but worrying, in itself, doesn’t solve anything. Plan, prepare, hope, pray, and if it doesn’t work out, readjust. Most things aren’t worth the stress of worrying.

Only Speak if You Have Something Important to Say

Image shows a calico cat looking up at the camera with her mouth open — Author’s photo. It’s hard to tell, but she is meowing.

According to the ASPCA, cats don’t meow at each other. They may growl, hiss, and let out some caterwauling when they’re in heat, but usually, they don’t communicate with one another through meows, except when they’re kittens. Their meowing is for humans and it is almost always because they want something.

Some cats are more vocal than others, of course, but my cat Zoe only meows when she has something important to say. Sometimes she wants to go outside, sometimes to the basement, or she wants to be pet or held, and other times it is a questioning meow.

When she was younger, she would basically tell on herself. She would sit in front of my open closet and look up at my hanging clothes. She gave a questioning meow and I knew she was about to jump up and climb my clothes to get to the shelf above the closet. Sometimes I would be in time to stop her, but other times…well, some of my shirts have a few holes in them from a certain calico’s claws.

Many people talk because they crave attention. After their long spiel, you realize how little they actually said. I’ve seen it in this platform as well — endless paragraphs of droning, and then when you reach the end, you wish you could have those minutes of your life back.

If you don’t have something to say that is educational or uplifting in some way, maybe just…don’t.

Be Okay Alone

Author’s photo; Zak is contemplating his next move.

Based on what I’ve heard from a lot of people, cats have a reputation for being aloof, solitary, and unsociable. In my opinion, individuals who attribute these characteristics universally to all felines are misjudging these creatures. Cats can be very social — with humans as well as other cats. In fact, some cats (like Zak) even display symptoms of separation anxiety when left alone, though this is much rarer in cats than in dogs.

My cats are sociable but often enjoy time by themselves as well. If I were to assign human traits, cats would be introverts and dogs would be extroverts. Introverts are able to socialize, but usually are better at one-on-one connections and are recharged by having “alone time.” Extroverts are like social butterflies and make instant connections with anyone and feed off of other people’s energy. For more on these personality types, read “Social Butterflies and Wallflowers.”

You don’t need someone else to make you happy. It is okay to go to a restaurant by yourself. If you want to go on a trip alone, that’s fine too. Learn to enjoy being with yourself. Find out what you enjoy without the presence or influence of anyone else.

Take Naps

Photo by author; Zak and Zoe enjoying a nap.

Cats are sometimes seen as lazy because of how much they sleep during the day. What you may not always realize is that they are usually more active at twilight — according to an article on hillspet.com — is they use the daytime for their slumber. The other reason they take frequent naps is that they are conserving their energy so they can remain on high alert for potential predators.

Not all of us are fortunate enough to be able to take naps during our work weeks. For those with families, the weekends don’t afford many opportunities either. If you do find yourself with some free time, you might want to consider taking a little snooze. According to the Mayo Clinic, napping has several health benefits.

“Napping offers various benefits for healthy adults, including:

Relaxation

Reduced fatigue

Increased alertness

Improved mood

Improved performance, including quicker reaction time and better memory”

mayoclinic.org

They go on to say that in order to get the most out of your naps, keep them short (20 minutes at most) and create a restful environment, which can include a dark, quiet space and a comfortable temperature.

It seems that cats may have written these recommendations themselves. They are infamous for taking naps such as these; hence the name “cat nap.” For cats, these benefits — like increased alertness and quicker reaction time — go right along with what I mentioned earlier.

Naps aren’t for everyone as some may experience “sleep inertia” where they feel groggy or disoriented after waking. This can happen especially when a nap lasts too long. Depending on what time of day and how long, a nap can also interfere with your sleep at night.

If you have the time and opportunity, try catching a little nap and see if you experience the positive effects.

Catalog These Lessons

As humans, we may think we are the dominant, most intelligent species, but we also have a lot to learn; just look at our leaders. Before you go thinking you have it all figured out, take a few lessons from your cat and you might just be a little better off for it. Let their behaviors be the catalyst for your improved life journey.

*Originally published on Medium on February 22, 2023

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Film Review Friday: “Knock at the Cabin”

Written and Directed by M. Knight Shyamalan

“Knock at the Cabin”

I love (most of) M. Knight Shyamalan’s movies! Even regarding the ones I didn’t love, I still enjoyed them. They are so well done and I never predict the endings. There is almost always some weird twist in them that you don’t see coming and I love twists! Does that mean I’m twisted? Let’s not answer that.

After seeing the previews for Knock at the Cabin I really wanted to see it. It is described as an “apocalyptic psychological horror film” and I think that is an accurate description. The premise of the movie is that there is a group of individuals who come to a family’s cabin in the woods. These “strangers” tell the family that the end of the world is about to occur and that they must choose to sacrifice one of their own family members in order to stop it from happening.

I hate spoilers and I think it ruins my overall enjoyment of the show/movie/book to know too much. These details are all apparent in the previews, so I’m giving nothing away. I’m not sure I should give any more information other than that, though.

The movie was intense, cringe-worthy, and a bit creepy at times. The actors did an excellent job. I’m not sure I had seen any of them in previous work, which made it better for me. There were aspects of the film that I thought were very good, but I must say, I was a bit let down by what happened. Again, I won’t give anything away, but compared to his other movies, I didn’t think this one rose to that level.

It was number one at the box office a couple of weeks ago, beating out Avatar: The Way of Water, so obviously it was enjoyed by a lot of people, or at least garnered a lot of anticipation. If you like M. Knight Shyamalan’s other movies, you should see this one as well.

I give this one 4 out of 5 stars.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This review is my own opinion and I am not paid or reimbursed by any company or entity.

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*Originally published on Medium

Strange Request

Cameron was used to getting requests for songs like “Unforgettable,” “The Way You Look Tonight,” and “Memory;” in fact, he had played some of them so many times that he almost thought the piano could play them itself. He was surprised when he reached into the bowl of handwritten notes and pulled out one that read “Chopin’s Prelude in D-Flat Major, Opus 28 No. 15.” Chopin was his favorite composer and he knew the song by heart. To many people, the song was known by the name “The Raindrop Prelude” and was one of Chopin’s most well-known. He looked around the bar, wondering who would’ve made such a request. Mardis Gras was in full swing in the city of Baton Rouge, so many patrons were dressed in carnival-type garb, masks and costumes.

As he began to play, he glanced up now and again to look into the crowd. One time that he looked up, he noticed a man sitting alone in the corner, wearing a mask that partially covered his face. Even though not all of his face was visible, he could see that the man was good-looking. Oxidation made the copper mask look old and mystic. Cameron focused back on his fingers for a moment and then was slightly distracted by a young woman who had gotten up to dance. The song was not the type to lend itself to dancing, but she’d been drinking, of course, and was acting juvenile. She twirled around and fell to the ground awkwardly. Her friends helped her up as they all laughed. She limped back to their table–probably sprained her ankle.

After the song was finished, there was a spattering of applause. Cameron smiled wanly and nodded his head to acknowledge the crowd. He looked toward the corner of the room, but the handsome masked man was gone. He sighed with disappointment, and decided to take his break. He stood and grabbed the apple that was sitting atop his piano and went to the wooden table vacated by the stranger. He slumped resignedly into the chair across from the one previously occupied by the masked man. Who would have made such an odd request, and who would know that Cameron was able to play it? Was it merely chance or perhaps someone from his past?

He left the bar that night still wondering about the request and about the stranger, but decided his curiosity would likely go unsatisfied. If Cameron had sat in the chair the stranger had occupied, however, he would have seen the white rose left by the masked man and his questions would have been answered.

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Fasting

To fast, to yearn, reminds me to pray,
	To learn, to listen to what God might say.
Apart from you, I thirst, I hunger,
	What God joined, man can’t put asunder.
My memory, ‘tis true, it fades, it wanes,
	Our love, a cord, an unbroken chain,
Mistakes, offenses, all in the past,
	Our souls, our bond in Heaven will last,
We’ll be together my precious, my love,
	If not on this earth, in our Home above.

Copyright © 2023 Brandon Ellrich

Since tomorrow is Valentiine’s Day, this is my obligatory love poem, haha. I hope you enjoyed it!

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Kansas City Chiefs Win Superbowl LVII!

KC Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles 38–35

Image is emblem of Superbowl fifty-seven — By National Football League — https://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/sites/tsm.gov/files/2023-01/15617c-SB57-EM%20Masthead_122122_v2-tag.pdf, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73009884

Image shows outside of the football stadium in Arizona where Superbowl fifty-seven was played. — By Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=128419200

Congratulations to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs for winning Superbowl LVII!

Photo of Patrick Mahomes jogging across the football field in white uniform — By Jeffrey Beall — Own work, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65235872

I was impressed with Patrick Mahomes, as always, especially after the game because of his highlighting of all other members of his team, never taking individual credit for the win.

Tonight, he became the first quarterback with the highest number of passing yards in the season to go on to win the Superbowl (John Dixon).

“No player this century has captured the league’s highest on-field honor and won a Super Bowl in the same season. It’s a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since 1999 when Kurt Warner led the Rams to a triumph after introducing himself to the football world in the first season of a Hall of Fame career.”
https://www.nfl.com/news/chiefs-qb-patrick-mahomes-aims-to-become-first-player-to-win-mvp-super-bowl-in-s

Patrick achieved this tonight. There were many other firsts, including the first Superbowl featuring two black quarterbacks and two brothers on opposing teams.

Image shows celebration on the football field of Superbowl fifty-four in 2020 — By elisfkc2 — Chiefs Win, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87609319 Photo of their last win against the Jaguars in Superbowl LIV in 2020.

This was the Chiefs’ third trip to the Superbowl and second win in four years, third win for the Chiefs overall.

Congratulations again and I hope this will continue in the following years.

*Originally published on Medium on 2/12/23.

Garments

A Golden Shovel

image shows an African-American woman in a white dress, standing in a wheat field with the sun shining behind her head — Photo by Matheus Henrin on Pexels.com

This series of haiku was written in response to David’s W3 Prompt #41: Wea’ve Written Weekly on The Skeptic’s Kaddish, so please visit his page to read other responses.

In honor of Black History Month, I chose to pay homage to Sonia Sanchez. I included a link to her page if you’d like to read about her and her work.

Her haiku consists of 15 words, so I decided to write a series of five haiku, each line ending in the words from Sanchez’s poem, per the guidelines of the “golden shovel.”

Let me wear the day
Well so when it reaches you
You will enjoy it.

Sonia Sanchez

Each of these is a stand-alone poem, but they are connected by a theme.

If only I let
another know the real me
his love I would wear

Be happy for the
garment of the dawning day
It suits you so well

I would tell you so
much if only I knew when
your heart could take it

Ray of light reaches
down to settle upon you
and love’s warmth clothes you

Time imparts its will
but we must strive to enjoy
each moment of it

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Brandon’s Love and Valentine’s Blues

Photo by Jacek Jan Skorupski on Pexels.com

Brandon’s Love and Valentine’s Blues

“Love” is a word that gets thrown around a lot. It doesn’t accurately describe the feelings associated with the word. For instance, we can love pizza, our pet, our mother, our partner, etc. We don’t love all of them in the same way though, do we? I should hope not.

These are eight love songs that describe different kinds of love.

1. “Make You Feel My Love” performed by Adele; written by Bob Dylan

I never knew Bob Dylan wrote this. The first time I heard it was when Garth Brooks sang it, which was great. I love Adele’s version though.

My last relationship wasn’t perfect, but we loved each other. My boyfriend Joe wasn’t great at expressing his feelings; in fact, I truly didn’t realize how much he loved me until I was talking to his family at his funeral. I cry every time I listen to this song. The lyrics say “There is nothing that I wouldn’t do, to make you feel my love.” I would do almost anything to have Joe back with me and I would do anything to make him feel my love.

https://youtu.be/0put0_a–Ng

2. “A Thousand Years” performed by Christina Perri feat. Steve Kazee; written by Christina Perri and David Hodges

Most people recognize this as being part of the soundtrack for “Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2.” I was actually not a huge fan of the movies (I really don’t like Kristen Stewart’s acting), but I love the song and I prefer the duet version. It’s another one that will many times make me cry. The idea of loving someone for a thousand years and beyond is a beautiful sentiment.

https://youtu.be/upX1lrrg8C8

3. “Always On My Mind” performed by Connie Talbot; written by Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher, and Mark James

For some reason, I thought Willie Nelson wrote this one; I don’t know why. After looking it up, I was reminded that Elvis recorded it as well as Brenda Lee. I am not a fan of Willie’s voice, and Elvis is great but I wanted something different. I found Connie Talbot’s version and thought it was perfect.

This is a different sort of love song because it sounds like the couple is drifting apart and one is trying to keep the other from leaving. “Maybe I didn’t hold you all those lonely, lonely times. I guess I never told you I’m so happy that you’re mine.” So many times we take our relationships for granted and forget to express how much we love each other.

https://youtu.be/4f42jNOcTKg

4. “The Prayer” performed by David Archuleta and Nathan Pacheco; written by David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager, Alberto Testa, and Tony Renis.

Most people are familiar with this song being performed by Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion. They are two of the most talented singers in the world, but I chose this version, partly because it’s performed by two male singers, and particularly because David Archuleta is one of them. He was one of my favorite contestants on American Idol several years ago and just recently, he came out as gay.

This is another song that can many times make me cry (it sounds like I cry a lot, eh?). It won several awards and has been recorded by many different artists. I love the sound of the Italian lyrics in combination with the English. It’s a prayer to God for protection and guidance in a couple’s journey through life.

https://youtu.be/8DRLmrboGK4

5. “I Will Always Love You” performed by Whitney Houston; written by Dolly Parton

I listed this one in my post “The Best 7 Cover Songs Across the Universe,” so you can check that out if you’d like. It fits in this list as well. I included this partly because it also is a different type of love song. It is a song about saying goodbye to someone you love. The others are all about holding on, but this one is about letting go.

When I love someone, I love them forever. Even if our relationship doesn’t work out, that doesn’t mean I suddenly hate them or regret ever being together. It just means we weren’t compatible enough to stay together. I tried listening to other versions of this, but couldn’t bring myself to use anyone else’s but Whitney’s.

https://youtu.be/3JWTaaS7LdU

6. “Girl Crush” performed by Little Big Town; written by Lori McKenna, Hillary Lindsey, and Liz Rose

I love Little Big Town. They have great voices that blend beautifully together. I wanted to include this song because it’s about loving someone that you can’t have. And truly, love may not be the right word. As the song says, it’s a “crush” and may be more about infatuation than love.

https://youtu.be/JYZMT8otKdI

7. “I Will Be Here” by Steven Curtis Chapman

This is a love song of commitment. Sometimes we hear that “all you need is love,” but that isn’t true. Sometimes you don’t feel that love, but you have to be committed through those times until the difficulty is over. This requires committing and choosing to love even when you don’t feel like it. It was featured in the Disney/Pixar movie “Up,” and that’s the video I used.

https://youtu.be/kSR6McG6Dno

8. “Flowers” performed by Miley Cyrus; written by Miley Cyrus, Gregory Aldae Hein, and Michael Pollack

Finally, I thought I should include this song because, unlike all the others, it’s about loving yourself. You don’t need someone else to be happy; in some cases, in fact, you’re better off alone than with someone that doesn’t love you or treat you with respect.

https://youtu.be/G7KNmW9a75Y

I hope you’ve enjoyed listening to these if you hadn’t already been familiar with them. I enjoyed reminiscing and yes, I cried a few times as well. Get over it.

If you feel like getting in touch with your feelings, write a post that includes the songs that you feel describe the kind of love you have, lost, or hope for, and tag me in your post.

*Originally published on Medium

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The Box

A Poem

The Box

I thought my life was normal;
Then I saw what others had.
It was not what I experienced;
Mine was hurtful, neglectful, sad.

I wrapped my past in a little box,
And tied it with a bow.
“Doesn’t it look so pretty?”
I put it out for show.

Someone tried to open it;
I said, “No! It looks so nice!
I don’t need to see those things;
Knowledge isn’t worth the price.”

I was sad, anxious, emotional,
I couldn’t accept myself.
The answer could be in the box,
But I put it on a shelf.

Sometimes I take down the box,
And I shake it a little bit.
I have an idea what’s there,
Things that I won’t admit.

If I would open this “gift” I wrapped,
Will you hold my hand when I do?
Can I throw out all it holds inside,
And fill it with memories of you?

Will it matter what we find inside?
Will it change your opinion of me?
This box for me has been a burden,
But I think it can set me free.

*Originally published on Medium

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, please click the like button and leave a comment as well. Follow me if you would like to receive updates whenever new posts are published.