A Musical Surprise

Olmsted Falls High School’s Barbara S. shares a coincidence that led to a fruitful conversation and lasting memory at a GlamourGals makeover.

The song “You Made Me Love You” by Harry James appears multiple times throughout Eddie’s journey in the afterlife in Mitch Albom’s The Five People You Meet in Heaven. When I first read the lyrics, “You made me love you, I didn't want to do it, I didn't want to do it,” I made up my own imperfect melody since I had never heard the song before. However, I was unexpectedly proven wrong during a GlamourGals event while painting a resident’s nails. As I sat beside her, gently filing her nails, she suddenly began to hum an unfamiliar but calming tune. My heart skipped, as I realized that this was the song from the book I had just finished a few days ago, which I had quickly proclaimed my new favorite book.

The look in her eyes as she sang, full grace and nostalgia, gave me goosebumps. Here I was, still holding onto the emotional weight of the novel, now sharing a moment with someone whose life had been touched by that very song. I felt compelled to explain the coincidence, and her face lit up as she told me stories of her childhood and lifelong love for music. It was such a special moment that connected us in such a unique and unexpected way. This inspired me to keep pursuing literature, and it is something that I will never forget.