Borderline

Having written 65 posts to date, I have to say I'm surprised that this is the first appearance of the material girl. She was a huge formative influence on me, but when I heard this tune today, I heard something different than what I heard when my cousin and I used to sing Madonna songs and write her lyrics in the sand.

This time around, what I heard was an insightful take on being pushed to the edge by love, on continuing to give even when we don't get what we need in return. This, I think, is the true tragedy of a failed marriage: both parties feel pushed to that same edge, both want to shout:

Just try to understand
I've given all I can
'Cause you got the best of me.

Borderline
Feels like I'm going to lose my mind.
You just keep on pushing my love over the borderline...

Check out this classic video of Madonna -- totally makes me miss the 80s!

I also saw the movie Eat Pray Love this afternoon -- an excellent watch for anyone who is themselves dealing with the monumental losses sustained both within a lonely marriage and once outside it. I think my favorite takeaway from the movie is the suggestion that it is ok to continue to love and continue to miss those we are no longer with -- but if we can do that by sending the person love and light and then dropping it, rather than attaching to the pain or the longing, we can leave both parties free to engage in something that holds more promise for happiness.