My heart is so broken. I cannot believe how sad I am that Olivia Newton-John passed away today. It’s not like she was my friend or family, but Olivia always has been there for me. Her music and movies inspired me and gave me such joy. In my mind, I roller skated just as well as Kyra, her character in Xanadu. I sang (once again only in my mind) as beautifully as she did as Sandy in the film Grease. And when I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, I tried to handle the disease with the same grace and determination as Olivia did living with cancer.
Reflecting on how much she meant to me, I remember this essay I wrote for our blog on November 19, 2012. Rest In Peace, beautiful Olivia Newton-John.
Musical birthday memories
“In Xanadu, did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure dome decree…”
So sayeth Olivia Newton-John in one of my all-time favorite movies: Xanadu.
I love this 1980 film that was billed as, “A Fantasy, A Musical, A Place Where Dreams Come True.” I love its music, storyline, the roller-skating, and its abundant cheesiness. And I love how it takes me back to my childhood.
I’ll admit it: The summer my parents first got cable television at our house, I watched Xanadu 21 times.
Every time I laced up my skates that summer I pretended to be ONJ’s character, Kyra. The purple ribbons barretted in my hair flowed in the breeze as I skated around my driveway and belted out the soundtrack highlighted by classic lines such as, “Have to believe we are magic …” and “A place, where nobody dared to go …”
So it should come as no surprise that I had tears in my eyes when Olivia Newton-John took the stage at Kewadin Casino’s DreamMakers Theater in Sault Ste. Marie on Nov. 11. What an amazing birthday gift it was. Dan really outdid himself this year.
Olivia looked beautiful, her voice was strong, and she was as charming and adorable as I thought she’d be. She sang all of her classics, from “Physical” to favorites from “Grease” and of course, “Xanadu,” complete with neon lights shining. We had such a wonderful time!