Of course love can hurt

For real. Love can hurt. But if it couldn't, really, why would it matter? I just discovered this sweet performance of this theme. You will see at the end that this gritty little version is from an old VHS tape. Years before Dolly did her thing for her mountain family, this tribute to Roy Orbison was raising money for another good cause. And Patrick and Larry Gatlin answered the call.

Funny thing about Patrick Swayze. From way back, he was always my favorite. I loved him professionally. I loved his talented dancing. I loved how he loved his wife. I loved his good - and bad - movies. But I had no idea how this was being noticed when the kids were little until one night many years ago. Charles was traveling as he often did and we were talking after dinner as we always did. As our younger child (maybe seven?) was passing by the phone, she could hear me saying, "I love you too. Me too. Love you. You be careful. Love you a lot. Talk to you later. Love you." As I hung up the phone, she stopped in her tracks, looked at me, and said, "Who was that?" I barely could process the question and suppress the laughter at the same time and finally said, "WHO do you think that was?" Expecting a sheepish acknowledgement that of course I could only be talking to her daddy, you can imagine my astonishment at her arched reply. "Patrick Swayze?"

That memory can still make me laugh. And love can still hurt. But less than these lyrics and more in a good way. And, frankly, may it always be so.