Love Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry…? Really?
As a starry-eyed 9-year-old in 1970, I still remember the flurry of excitement from several of my teenage aunties over the film Love Story, starring Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw. It’s long been heralded as one of the great cinematic romances, and I’ll admit—I still find myself unwittingly watching it on those lazy, “wear-my-pjs-all-day” afternoons.
It’s the kind of film that wraps you in the beauty of young love, grand gestures, and aching loss. You get swept up in Oliver and Jenny’s world—two people from different backgrounds, falling deeply in love and determined to make it work, no matter the odds. It’s touching. It’s tragic. And for many of us, it struck a chord.
And then there's that famous line: “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”
Let’s be honest—that’s complete and utter nonsense!
In real life, love means having to say you’re sorry. Often more than once. Sometimes with your whole heart cracked wide open on the table. Real love—lasting, grounded, alive—isn’t a fairy tale. It’s a practice. One that asks us to show up, take responsibility, and get uncomfortable if we want to grow.
I work with couples who are done pretending everything’s fine. Maybe once they were chasing the highlight-reel version of romance, but now—they want the real thing. They’re tired of the same hurtful conversations that lead nowhere. Tired of the old wounds that never seem to heal. Tired of the distance. What they want isn’t perfection—it’s connection. A way back to each other, with honesty, grace, and yes… plenty of apologies along the way.
Here’s the truth: if you’re both willing, there is a way back. I’ve seen couples on the brink—detached, exhausted, bitter—find their way to something stronger than what they had before. But it doesn’t happen by chance. It happens when both people—and I mean both—are ready to stop blaming, start listening, and lean into who they need to become to love more fully.
Sometimes that means unlearning patterns you’ve carried for decades. Sometimes it means softening when you’d rather shut down. Sometimes it means owning your role in the hurt—even when it’s easier to defend your position or flip the script back onto your partner.
But the payoff? It’s big. Real love that feels safe, seen, and alive again. Communication that builds rather than breaks. A relationship that doesn’t just survive—but evolves.
If you're reading this and thinking, "Maybe we could still find our way back…", don’t wait until the path closes in.
With love and light,
Michèle
Transformational Life, Relationship & Divorce Coach
Getting to the Heart—Who You Are and What You’re Meant For
✨ Let’s talk. Book a free discovery call, and let’s see what’s possible when you both choose to show up for the relationship you still want—just in a new way.✨
👉 Book Your Discovery Call Now
Because real love? It’s not about never saying you're sorry. It’s about learning how to mean it.
Keep Up With Michele
THE MOMENT YOU REALIZE:
“I CAN’T LIVE LIKE THIS ANYMORE.”
“…this coach—whoever she is—is seriously messing with your head…”
That’s what my client’s husband said after more than 25 years of marriage.
Why? Because she started changing.
She started remembering who she was.
A well-educated, high-achieving woman who had given up a dream career, spent decades managing the household, raising the kids, organizing everyone’s lives, and keeping herself so busy just to avoid the pain of feeling completely forgotten and invisible.
All while married to a man who expected control over everything—from which toothpaste she bought to how she expressed her own feelings.
When she started reclaiming her voice, it triggered something in him.
Anger. Blame. Gaslighting. Dismissiveness.
Because her clarity was disrupting the system. A system that worked great—for him.
|
|
EPISODE 56
What If You’re Not Stuck—You’re Just Waiting for Permission?
In this powerful solo episode of Getting to the Heart, Michèle Heffron invites you into an honest, soul-level conversation about what it really takes to break free from the weight of stuckness—especially for women in midlife who have spent decades showing up for everyone else.
Back from a trip to Italy, Michèle shares how quickly the feeling of being stuck returned the moment she got off the plane—a reminder that no matter how far we travel, the real journey is inward.
Drawing from her own story of leaving an emotionally controlling marriage with no financial safety net, rebuilding a career from scratch, and stepping into the unknown of entrepreneurship and self-worth, Michèle speaks directly to the woman who’s wondering, “Is this all there is?” and “What if I want more?”
You won't want to miss this episode!
|
