Love in a Song…

The Stobaughs’ in their younger days. 

I came across this amazing story on Facebook recently and I was quite touched by it. I am not really a romantic although I have written a book on Love called Conversations in Love. I know! This is kinda contradictory. But anyway, the wisdom in this book is really not mine as it was from Rinpoche. He formulated the points based not on his own experience as he’s a monk but from counselling couples for many years now. He noticed a pattern and through this pattern and along with the Buddha’s teachings, he was able to put it into simple pointers for all of us. I just took it and spun a story of 4 people out of it.

Anyway, back to this story. I felt it was simple and really moving because in this day and age, where can you find a couple or a relationship that would last 73 years. Well, Fred Stobaugh from Peoria, Ill. did as he was married to Lorraine for what would be a whole lifetime. Unfortunately, Lorraine passed away last year leaving him bereft and aching to pour his heart out into a song. He entered a singer-songwriting competition and although he couldn’t sing nor fulfil the requirements of a recording of his song, the producers were touched and decided to produce his song anyway. What came out of it was simply magical.

Like I said, I am not a romantic nor do I go googoo gaga over love stories and relationship but this one was quite the exception. It’s nice to know that there are people who still appreciate fidelity and loyalty in a relationship. Such things are harder and harder to come by as we live in a world of self-gratification and short-lived marriages and affairs. To understand what I am talking about, just watch the Youtube documentary below of the making of Fred Stobaugh’s song, O Sweet Lorraine…

The Stobaughs’ in their silver years.