Happy birthday Mom 09/27/09
It's hard to believe how many years have gone by since Mom's (and Dad's) passing but, on a more positive note, I was able to celebrate her memory at Heron Hill winery. I've had a routine of doing demos in mid-July and late September the last couple of years. Last year the September demo was right on my Mom's birthday so I took a picture of her with me to Heron Hill. Trust me when I say if Mom had anything to do with it the picture would have stayed at home. She was not one to have attention drawn to herself!! The picture made for a lot of quality conversation last year and some folks even raised a glass to toast Mom's memory/legacy. One conversation really stuck out in my memory and it was with a young girl who I'd say was in her 20's. After telling her all about Mom and it being her birthday the girl got all teary eyed as it was her birthday too. We then talked a bit about her Mom and it became one of those "never can plan for" moments that have become one of the main reasons I enjoy doing demos so much. If she visits our web site and this blog I'd love to hear from you on any follow up to our conversation.
This year the September demo was on the 26th and once again talked with a lot of nice people about Mom. Also once again I had a moment like last year. This time it was with two women, one of whom's Mom has passed. She then mentioned her Mom's favorite musician was Neil Diamond and that stopped me right in my tracks. MY Mom's favorite musician was Neil Diamond I told her and then proceeded to tell her of my favorite song called "Be". The song is so special it was used as 1 of 6 songs on a family video my sisters & I made back in 1994...after Mom had died but before Dad died. For any Neil Diamond fan (like these two women I was talking to)"Be" is a must and while I've not yet found it on YouTube you can probably find it on iTunes or get the actual 2-disc CD...try Amazon for that. "Be" is over six minutes in length I believe and is why you'll probably never hear it on radio. The song both in words and melody takes me on a journey...a very emotional, deep journey and I am enriched every time I hear it.
For the two women I talked to at Heron Hill...get the song and let me know what you think of it. I'll leave you and everyone with an amazing example of divine intervention... back in 1996 (so at this point Mom & Dad had passed)my wife and her Mom went to a restaurant for lunch less than two weeks before my daughter was born. She was our first and among the many things we didn't know about it was whether she was a boy or girl or what parenting would be like, especially for me since I couldn't compare notes with my parents. My wife and mother-in-law were not seated more than a couple of minutes and, in succession, the songs "Teach your children" by Crosby, Stills and Nash and "Be" from Neil Diamond played. Two totally different musicians and songs. What's the significance? The first two songs on our family video are "Teach your children" and "Be". You want to talk about a moment...my wife started crying and could feel the presence of my parents and knew everything was going to be okay.
So happy birthday Mom and even though you're not here in the physical sense you are and always will be part of my daily life. I love you...John