One hand on the steering wheel, the other fumbling around with her playlist.

Beatles. She hit shuffle. A smile crept across her face as the familiar tune streamed out of her speakers.

“All you need is love…….all you need is love…..all you need is love….love….love is all you need”

She begins tapping along with the beat and singing the words. Her smile  brightens as she thinks of her father. She feels the images of her childhood unfurl and jumps back into time. She finds herself back in the body of her 8 year old self who is sitting next to her daddy. Smiling, laughing, singing along with the Beatles while driving through the country side.

The song fades and I Wanna Hold Your Hand fills the cab of the old truck. She squeals because it is one of her favorites they sing together. She looks up at his face, so kind and a warmth drifts from his smile up to his eyes. He points at her and does his best Paul McCartney impression. She bobs her head in sync with his and together they almost shout out the lyrics. Before she knows it he has pulled over on the side of the country road. He walks over to her side of the truck, opens the door and reach across to his rewind. The tape makes a noise as it goes back to the beginning of the song. First beat, he grabs her up in his arms and they start to dance. He sings and she laughs with such delight. Twirling, moving and caught up in a special moment. Her daddy was always spontaneous and she rejoiced in those moments.

Just as she was caught up in her 8 year old self the present called for her attention as Yesterday through her iPod……back in her car. She was once twirling with her daddy but now she was driving. To where she wasn’t sure anymore.  The carefree happy memories now replaced with the heavy troublesome thoughts she was trying to escape from. She slipped her sunglasses on to cover the tears that began to fall.

“Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play. Now I need a place to hide away. Oh, I believe in yesterday”

Her thoughts return now to her father she lost almost three years ago.

“Daddy…..I need you now more than ever. I need your guidance.”

As the words played around in her mind she looked over in the passenger seat and there he was. Same youthful smile he had in her earlier memory. He didn’t speak but she could hear what his heart was telling her. She was going to be okay. She has to atone for her mistakes but things will work out.

Her eyes went back to the road and just then While My Guitar Gently Weeps began. She cried more and let it come out. Healing was beginning…..as well as finding her way through this part of her journey. She had her suitcase in the back, money in her wallet and the Beatles playing along side her.

She decided to just Let It Be and see how this story ends………

 

*written for Carry On Tuesday . Todays phrase to carry on was All You Need Is Love

Personally I loved this selection because the Beatles always have a special place in my heart thanks to my wonderful daddy who I miss daily.