A Valentine From Burt

^ What the world needs now is Valentine's Day spirit, every day of the year. 

No, we don't need another mountain

There are mountains and hillsides enough to climb

There are oceans and rivers enough to cross

Enough to last till the end of time.

My mom bought a new record album.

This was a fascinating and highly unusual turn in my eight-year-old life 

I paid rapt attention.

We drove home from the store.

She lowered the album on the spinning turntable and dropped the needle.

I listened.

What the world needs now

Is love, sweet love.

No, not just for some

But for every, every, every one.

We didn't talk much about love in our family.

My philandering father had stretched that precious commodity to the breaking point..

I didn't dare to ask questions.

But the man who wrote the song on my mother's new album was a great help to me.

His words were simple and clear: everyone deserves love.

I understood exactly.

Last week, just before Valentine's Day, Burt Bacharach died

He left this world for a place full of the love that he explained to me, all those years ago. 

I thank him for his gift.

* * * * *

The album was Reach Out.

The composer was Burt Bacharach

The song was What The World Needs Now Is Love

The year was 1967.