‘Your heart is home’ as love comes full circle

Everyone’s love story is different. For James Lindsay and Victoria Rawlins of Umtentweni, who tied the knot in September, it’s perhaps been even more so.

They were high school sweethearts and it’s quite a story about how they got back together again after 16 years.
Victoria wrote a song and sang it for James at their wedding. The song, Your Heart is Home, was released on all major streaming platforms yesterday (November 3).

James and Victoria have very strong ties to the South Coast. Both were born in Port Shepstone Regional Hospital 33 years ago, both delivered by Dr Hilton Horsley.

They were in the same classes at Creston College from Grade 1 to Grade 3.

James then left for boarding school (Merchiston in Pietermaritzburg) in Grade 4 and thereafter to Maritzburg College.

As teenagers, they reconnected when he watched his sister Kate at a show hosted by Elvira Venter’s Dance School, of which Victoria was also part.

“He sent his little sister backstage to get my number and from there we started up a Mxit chat and started dating at the age of 16,” said Victoria.

“It was definitely that first-love intoxication for us both at the time, but being young and naïve, and with the boarding school distance, we called it quits.”

At the time, Victoria wrote what she described as a very cheesy pop song called ‘Just Kids’. “Listening back now, it’s quite amazing,” she said.

After school they both did their own thing.
To cut a long story short, Victoria moved back to the coast recently with her son William (7) and three pets to start her next adventure – single mom style.

For her, it felt like a time to be ‘home’ and be closer to family, a fresh start.

It wasn’t long before James and her got in touch again and they rekindled their old friendship.

“At the time James and I were both coming out of tough seasons of our lives. This relationship brought me home in so many ways and this the reason for writing the song,” she said.

“He bonded with William instantly and this is how my son has now became obsessed with Liverpool Football Club,” she laughed.

Your Heart Is Home was written for James as a surprise on their wedding day in September, where Victoria performed it live at the reception.

“I surprised James with an original song at our wedding last month. This is my heart and my love for him through music. ” said Victoria. “It’s also a tribute to his late mom, Cilla, who was so looking forward to the big day and who had said to me I should sing at the wedding. Wow, life has thrown us some curveballs, in between, but now I am finally ‘home’ with him and I’ll be holding on for eternity.”

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