Misheard Lyrics

Looking back at some of the lingo of the hippie revolution, I feel sure that much of what has come to be criticized was actually misconstrued, both by most of the revolutionaries and by the culture they were trying to change. I was just a baby during those times, but I remember thinking as I grew up that "free love" and "do what comes naturally" and "if it feels good, do it" were just insane ways to get yourself into a lot more trouble than you know what to do with. And they are, if you are unaware of the truths those words represent.

Think about "free love" for a moment. I don't believe the original intent of that concept was "free sex" or privilege without responsibility. I think what it was really meant to promote was nonattachment. When we love truly and unconditionally, we will not demand love in return. There will truly be "no strings attached" in our loving. This doesn't mean that we can't form a relationship for life, only that we will allow the relationship to be dynamic, holding the loved one with an open hand, and not demanding that the person conform to what we want, but allowing and encouraging them to be themselves. Tall order for mere humans, but it has been done and therefore can be done by us.