Sunday, January 20, 2013

The wonder of you


A top hit  in 1950s, the song was written by Baker Knight. It was released as a single by  American pop music singer Ray Peterson in 1959 and recorded by  English singer Ronnie Hilton in the United Kingdom in the same year. Both versions  became a top hits with Peterson   peaking at #25 on Top 40 in US and Hilton’s version  reaching #22 on the UK Singles Chart. Soon others followed their suit including the world legendary  Elvis Presley which further popularized the song  after its release as his single in 1970.

From the website of  londonwelshmvc.org, I learned an interesting story behind the song. It was actually a spiritual search. The composer was ill at the time of writing and  was  searching for the Deity that would always be kind and forgiving toward him no matter what the conditions. While he couldn’t say  it was written directly to God, he admitted  searching for Him at that time. However, he didn't finish the song until several weeks later. The delay made him realize that the song might also make a good love song. Since there was no Contemporary Christian music in those days, he decided to make it a love song.

I really love the song as it is reflective of  love experiences I have with my dear wife. On her birthday, today, I  decided to make a blog on this song.  My way of  expressing my gratitude to her for the wonders of her love which changed my life.

She  came into my life when I tried to return to the mainstream of normalcy after the EDSA Revolution in 1986. Resuming my remaining year in the seminary was not possible for technical reasons. Thus, I shifted to Social Work. No longer  young as my classmates, a class period was an agony, having been conditioned to a non academic life. Making the adjustment worse was the label attached to my name because of controversial past. It  included my  participation in a  movement of church people who participated in the struggle against dictatorship. It was sort of taboo in our denomination at that time.

Isolated from my faith community, coupled with difficulty in adjustment with studies and relationship, I was about to quit and go back to where I belong. But the thought of her made me hold on. Like me, she  shifted to Social Work while in senior year in another course. It was a" love at first sight", for me, the first time we met.   A terror on her part, though, having a knowledge of my background. Thus, while   I tried to get close to her, the more she distanced herself.  Still, she served as a challenge  to me against odds.

However, all my attempts  to woo her almost came to naught, including my prayers. In desperation,  I think I revealed to her my plan  to stage a protest action against God. (Indeed, I was really very serious with that plan.)  I didn’t know if it had  a bearing  in  my eventual success to get her precious yes.  I  called her the rainbow of my life. Thereafter, the wonders in our relationship, as portrayed by the lyrics of the song.  Hence, these  lyrics are addressed to my wife, as they explicitly  capture the essence of our love experiences.

DZ and Dazen Dawn


When no-one else can understand me
    When everything I do is wrong
       You give me hope and consolation
          You give me strength to carry on

And you're always there to lend a hand
       In everything I do
          That's the wonder
              The wonder of you


DZ and Edzil Ven

And when you smile the world is brighter
      You touch my hand and I'm a king
          Your kiss to me is worth a fortune
                Your love for me is everything

I'll guess I'll never know the reason why
        You love me like you do
             That's the wonder
                  The wonder of you

DZ and Krislenn Edz

            Happy birthday, 
                   Prof. DZ Patriarca-Lariza

And to you, dear readers, who cannot  relate to the previous accolades  and find this post corny, this one is for you:

When no-one else can understand  you
      Ask yourself why? If the problem is in you,
           change  yourself.
      If the problem is with others, never mind them
      You are not alone.
      Many have been misunderstood before you.
      Even great men and women of faith and history
      Have been misunderstood not more than once.

When everything you do is wrong
     You have all the reason to be alarmed
      While nobody is perfect, it’s no longer normal to be always incorrect.

But  there is still hope and consolation
          For this reason, you have  to move on

God is always  there to lend a hand
          In everything I do
             Would you believe it?
           
However, if you find the  paraphrase having no sense, still.
Perhaps, yes, perhaps... that’s the wonder of you.

2 comments:

  1. cute cute manung.thank you for love and taking care of our sister.wala gid k nagsala nga ginasugid k ang mtuod befor inday dz would always say ara edwin tas madalagab k kg magsingit bintana"manung hmbal inday wala di siya kuno"kun di gwa siya alangalang e. hahahahaha!!''

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  2. cute cute manung.thank you for love and taking care of our sister.wala gid k nagsala nga ginasugid k ang mtuod befor inday dz would always say ara edwin tas madalagab k kg magsingit bintana"manung hmbal inday wala di siya kuno"kun di gwa siya alangalang e. hahahahaha!!''

    ReplyDelete