The Way We Were
I just finished watching 'The Way We Were,' and finally realized why it is that your first love is the one you will remember forever, the one you will love the strongest, because it is just that...your first.
You may forget the number of cars you've owned in your life; some you may remember for being beautiful and running well, some you may remember for stalling at every traffic light and having no back seat, but the one you will always remember the best is your first one. Mine was that amber/green Pontiac Firebird Esprit. I can still see the console and the firebird emblem on the gear shift. I can remember I paid $107 a month in car payments and had to get the battery charged four times while I owned it because I always left the interior lights on. I can't remember what the car I owned before my current one looked like inside...but that Firebird is etched in my memory forever.
You may forget the number of pet's you've owned in your life; some you may remember as, "oh, yeah...I had a cocker spaniel once...can't remember it's name," or "we had a dog with white and brown spots...if I remember correctly it was a female," or "my daughter had two cats once...but I couldn't tell you what color they were nor what their names were," but the one you will always remember the best is your first one. Mine was a teacup dachshund...named Honey. My ex, Richard, gave her to me as a present after I had a car accident. I was still living at my parent's home and Mom helped me keep her hidden for months and months. Daddy didn't know she was even in the house for almost a year. I might not remember a lot of the pets I have owned but I will always remember her soft golden reddish-brown coat and how sweet she was. She is etched in my memory forever.
You may forget the number of people you have loved in your life; some you will remember as "one summer, I dated this person that I really cared about but I swear I can't remember his name," or "there was this one that I really thought I was in love with, his name was Johnny...but I cannot remember his face." But the one you will always remember the best is your first one. Doesn't matter if you've been married over 20 years, as I have, trust me...you will forget what you and your significant other did three months ago but you will remember in vivid detail what you and your first love did from the day you met until the day you said goodbye. My first love was Michael and even though he died at the age of 21, 35 years ago, I can still see his eyes...I can still feel the softness of his hair...I can still see the pitiful moustache he always tried to grow...I can still smell his cologne...and I can still remember every moment...second...that we spent together...because he was my first.
You see, after watching the movie, oh yes...it was "The Way We Were," I got off track....it's because you remember the way you were. With your first love, who is only living in your mind, you don't have to wake a sleeping child and get it off to school, or argue over bills with your spouse, or flip for who's turn it is to take out the garbage. There is no, "what do you want for dinner," or "I'm playing golf today," or "you forgot to pick up the dry cleaning," conversations. There's no, "I'm just going to watch this for a couple of more minutes," or "I'm too tired tonight," or "I have to be at work early," excuses. Nope. With your first love it was simply sucking every single bit of him/her in. Every statement they made to you... you were listening intently. Every sigh they breathed... you showed concern. Every time they touched you...you were welcoming. Every moment they spent with you...you were appreciative. When their hand touched yours there was electricity. When their lips touched yours there was melting. That was your first love. The one you will never forget. The one that is etched into your mind.
Now, you have to look at the person sitting next to you. The one who forgot to stop for the dry cleaning and the one who just picked up the remote to catch the last few minutes of the 'game,' before even saying hello to you. Yet, as he holds the dog in his arms and softly rubs it's chin...he turns during a commercial to tell you, "I got your car washed this afternoon....it looks brand new." You look at him puzzled.... and say "you didn't tell me you were going to wash my car today." "I told you last night I was...you just don't hear anything I say," he replies.
I will never forget Michael and I will remember him every time I watch The Way We Were...it was the first movie we saw together. I will never forget my love for him...ever. But I look at the one sitting next to me and realize...this might not be my first love...but it will be my last love...and tomorrow...he's going to pick up my dry cleaning.
You may forget the number of cars you've owned in your life; some you may remember for being beautiful and running well, some you may remember for stalling at every traffic light and having no back seat, but the one you will always remember the best is your first one. Mine was that amber/green Pontiac Firebird Esprit. I can still see the console and the firebird emblem on the gear shift. I can remember I paid $107 a month in car payments and had to get the battery charged four times while I owned it because I always left the interior lights on. I can't remember what the car I owned before my current one looked like inside...but that Firebird is etched in my memory forever.
You may forget the number of pet's you've owned in your life; some you may remember as, "oh, yeah...I had a cocker spaniel once...can't remember it's name," or "we had a dog with white and brown spots...if I remember correctly it was a female," or "my daughter had two cats once...but I couldn't tell you what color they were nor what their names were," but the one you will always remember the best is your first one. Mine was a teacup dachshund...named Honey. My ex, Richard, gave her to me as a present after I had a car accident. I was still living at my parent's home and Mom helped me keep her hidden for months and months. Daddy didn't know she was even in the house for almost a year. I might not remember a lot of the pets I have owned but I will always remember her soft golden reddish-brown coat and how sweet she was. She is etched in my memory forever.
You may forget the number of people you have loved in your life; some you will remember as "one summer, I dated this person that I really cared about but I swear I can't remember his name," or "there was this one that I really thought I was in love with, his name was Johnny...but I cannot remember his face." But the one you will always remember the best is your first one. Doesn't matter if you've been married over 20 years, as I have, trust me...you will forget what you and your significant other did three months ago but you will remember in vivid detail what you and your first love did from the day you met until the day you said goodbye. My first love was Michael and even though he died at the age of 21, 35 years ago, I can still see his eyes...I can still feel the softness of his hair...I can still see the pitiful moustache he always tried to grow...I can still smell his cologne...and I can still remember every moment...second...that we spent together...because he was my first.
You see, after watching the movie, oh yes...it was "The Way We Were," I got off track....it's because you remember the way you were. With your first love, who is only living in your mind, you don't have to wake a sleeping child and get it off to school, or argue over bills with your spouse, or flip for who's turn it is to take out the garbage. There is no, "what do you want for dinner," or "I'm playing golf today," or "you forgot to pick up the dry cleaning," conversations. There's no, "I'm just going to watch this for a couple of more minutes," or "I'm too tired tonight," or "I have to be at work early," excuses. Nope. With your first love it was simply sucking every single bit of him/her in. Every statement they made to you... you were listening intently. Every sigh they breathed... you showed concern. Every time they touched you...you were welcoming. Every moment they spent with you...you were appreciative. When their hand touched yours there was electricity. When their lips touched yours there was melting. That was your first love. The one you will never forget. The one that is etched into your mind.
Now, you have to look at the person sitting next to you. The one who forgot to stop for the dry cleaning and the one who just picked up the remote to catch the last few minutes of the 'game,' before even saying hello to you. Yet, as he holds the dog in his arms and softly rubs it's chin...he turns during a commercial to tell you, "I got your car washed this afternoon....it looks brand new." You look at him puzzled.... and say "you didn't tell me you were going to wash my car today." "I told you last night I was...you just don't hear anything I say," he replies.
I will never forget Michael and I will remember him every time I watch The Way We Were...it was the first movie we saw together. I will never forget my love for him...ever. But I look at the one sitting next to me and realize...this might not be my first love...but it will be my last love...and tomorrow...he's going to pick up my dry cleaning.
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