What are the odds that the total eclipse of the sun, a ‘once-in-a-lifetime-event’ would coincide with a very popular song from 1983, ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ by Bonnie Tyler, as the Royal Caribbean cruised through the path of totality? Not too often!
This song has in it, lyrics that magnificently sum up every single fear that everyone has about growing older: Nothing will ever be as good as it once was as the best of years have already passed. Eclipses of the sun also strike fear in some who believe that it’s the end of the world! The song is a striking one that comprises grand instrumentation, legendary lyrics and Tyler’s gritty vocals that tell the epic love story of a turbulent relationship. It also references various facets of love such as unrequited love and marriage eclipses.
It was a double total eclipse for the 4,000 passengers aboard the Royal Caribbean’s cruise on August 21st. Bonnie Tyler, the iconic singer of the unforgettable song, was a special guest during the astronomical important moment. As the moon passed between the earth and the sun initiating complete darkness, there was only one song that could provide the ideal soundtrack for such a rare event. Tyler said after her high energy performance, “It was fabulous to work with this young gorgeous band.” On Monday, Tyler’s song rocketed to the number one spot on Apple’s iTunes chart.
Unrequited love, or one-sided love, is one that is not openly reciprocated or understood as such by the beloved. I have a friend who is in this very situation where his so-called beloved was not aware of his deep and strong romantic affection. After their friendship at a younger age, she left to continue studies in Europe. They lost touch and afterwards both married. For many years my friend inquired about this lost love, occasionally hearing some chatter or reading tidbits of her life in local news. But he never attempted to make contact, respecting not only her marriage but his own. Although his heart has been ‘totally eclipsed’ by thinking about this love, it became an integral part of who he is. He described his state of mind as, “Knowing he will never be loved in return has acted upon his ideas as a tide acts upon cliffs.”
Love in marriage goes through eclipses too where it can seem more distant but the commitment to stay and turn around is what causes marriage to grow to the next level and a brighter future. The classic novel ‘Wuthering Heights’ by Emily Bronte, is a story of Heathcliff and Catherine’s love for each other. “Their love is like a shadow on the other all of the time,” even after Catherine is dead. Heathcliff feels her presence and is haunted by her spirit. The book was considered controversial because its depiction of mental and physical cruelty was unusually stark, and it challenged strict Victorian ideals of the day.
This big hit from the 80’s also mentions true unconditional love. Sometimes people can’t be together for whatever reason it might be. It doesn’t matter, the true love is always there – there is no real separation. Unconditional love is in essence, caring about the happiness of another person without any thought for oneself. Conditional love, on the other hand, is a polarized emotion or an opposite emotion. It emanates from the ego and generally focuses on someone like a romantic partner or a child, or some item like a car or a job.
The quest for love makes a great story. The question of will they or won’t they has fueled countless narratives, high and low whether it’s Shakespeare or Margaret Atwood. The happy endings – tender embraces, engagements, sex made all the hotter by the rising tension of various plot complications – give a nice dose of a literary rush. In fiction, as in the real world, mutual love doesn’t always happen.
My partner Sheila and I both experienced eclipses over our lives. Close during high school we took separate paths but never let go of the magnetism we had for each other. Half a century later, destiny connected us into a single component in an unconditional love.
