Thank You For The Dreams Dad!
My childhood world had defined me as being little and nice, quiet and smiling. I didn’t really mind this description, but it provided two options: to use my ‘littleness’ to make a difference, or to abuse it by letting it excuse me from challenges.
Life moves along quickly, and once the ride begins, it insists on leading and picks up speed - heading to destinations unknown!
In 1965, at 17 yrs. of age, I set off on a neat detour - I got my first guitar, and with my father’s tutoring, I learned to play the basic chords and to keep a beat with my strumming. My first inkling that the world might not have me totally figured out was when I sat down beside my father with my guitar in hand. It was my father’s exclamation: “I’ve been waiting for this for so long!” – that touched my heart, and printed a wonderful indelible tattoo on it. Dad had kick-started a dream. Suddenly, I had been given the key to a new door in my life – I had been invited into the music club! I count as some of my favourite memories, sitting and playing along with him, and contributing to our family sing-a-longs. Another is of standing on his shoes and gliding around the living room on the strains of a waltz.
Over the years, I began to realize that my heart had a whole storage bin full of dreams - intriguing side roads that beckoned to me to ‘come on and explore!’ Musical rhythms began to fill my head more and more, and those playful characters invited words to jump in and define them. That was when I began to write poetry. While listening to beautiful pieces of music, recalling nostalgic scenes, watching children play, or many times, lately, just trying desperately to stay asleep at three in the morning, I will feel my heart calling out to my hands: ‘Write this down!” - NOW!
The world will tell you many things about yourself – some true, and some not, and while it takes courage to follow the voice of your dreams, it is ultimately where you find true fulfillment.
Life is a highway
Crossing mountains and streams
But it’s often the detours
That lead to our dreams!
Thank you Dad for believing in me and handing me the keys to the ‘dream mobile’!
