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Professional Origin Story of the “Only Once in Your Life…” Passage

By Karen Governale — Original Author

In the spring of 2011, I wrote a personal reflection that began with the line, “Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around.” On May 20, 2011, I published it as a Facebook Note — a long-form feature the platform offered at the time for sharing writing, thoughts, and personal essays.

The piece was never intended for wide distribution. It was simply something I wrote from the heart, during a period of deep reflection about connection, trust, and the rare people who change the course of our lives. Like many Facebook Notes of that era, it was shared among friends, then friends of friends, and gradually circulated beyond my immediate circle.

As social media evolved, Facebook discontinued the Notes feature, and many early posts lost their original visibility. My writing continued to spread, but without my name attached. Somewhere along the way, the passage was copied, reposted, and eventually misattributed — most commonly to Bob Marley, despite the fact that Marley never wrote prose of this style and no published source has ever connected the text to him.

Over the next decade, the passage appeared on quote websites, blogs, Pinterest boards, Tumblr posts, Instagram pages, Etsy merchandise, and countless social media feeds. It became one of the most widely shared inspirational texts online, often labeled “unknown,” “anonymous,” or incorrectly credited to a public figure.

In 2026, I revisited my Facebook Activity Log and discovered that my original Note — complete with its immutable server-side timestamp — still existed. It showed:

Added on: May 20, 2011 Last edited: March 12, 2021

This timestamp predates every publicly available version of the passage on the internet. The earliest known public posting outside my account appears in November 2013, more than two years after my original publication. No earlier version exists in archives, quote databases, literary collections, or digital records.

Based on this evidence, the passage’s origin is clear: I wrote it. I published it. And it began with me.

Today, I am simply reclaiming my authorship — not to diminish the meaning the words have brought to others, but to restore the truth of where they came from. I’m honored that something I wrote in 2011 has resonated with so many people around the world, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to finally attach my name to the words I created.

Copyright Notice – “Only once in your life…”

© 2011-2026 Karen Governale. All Rights Reserved.

This writing is protected under U.S. Copyright Law. Commercial use, reproduction, distribution, or sale of this text without my written permission is strictly prohibited.

To request licensing or authorization for commercial use, please contact: governalekaren@gmail.com

— Karen Governale Original Author May 20, 2011

Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to cherish forever. Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it’s like being young again. Colours seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn’t exist at all. A phone call or two during the day helps to get you through a long day’s work and always brings a smile to your face. In their presence, there’s no need for continuous conversation, but you find you’re quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you. You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon. You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life.

~Karen Governale