The Wizard of Oz made me fall in love with the magic of books, music
and movies. At the time colored television had not been around for long, so I was
very young. So young indeed that I cannot focus clearly on the memory, but it
was sometime in the 1960's. The movie was based on the 1900 children's novel,
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, and after seeing the movie, it was
the first book I bought with my own money. I also had the soundtrack from the movie and
knew all the songs by heart. (I still remember some of them) I staged summer
theater in my garage always staring as Dorothy. My brother and sisters
were forever doomed to the roles of the "Scarecrow", "Tin
man" and "Cowardly lion."
To this day, I dream of having a pair of ruby red slippers just
like Dorothy's. I admit to having a thing for all that sparkles and glitters.
Always looking up, I find the stars here on earth, and in the heavens worth
admiring. The Wizard of Oz covers my first loves when it comes to films, music
and books. Childish, yes…but we are talking first loves here.
By the time I was ready to put away these childish things,
love meant only one thing. In the 70’s, love was riding a motorcycle and listening to “Stairway
to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin. Pink Floyd
posters replaced the family pictures on my walls, and I traded out my Ken and Barbie
dolls with boys that were not made out of plastic. The first one that I fell in love with got
me pregnant and broke my heart when he left. After 35 years he is back in my life again, but now as a friend. To be
honest with you, he actually gave me the first "true love" of my life… a
son. My son is the only first love that grows stronger with time.
First loves usually never last but they are seldom
forgotten. They find a corner in your heart all bundled up in sweet memories. Every
once in a while one of your senses will unwrap a certain memory with a special song, a touching
story, or a familiar face. That is when you know my friends, that first loves never truly die.
