My parents are in town for a couple of days, and it’s wonderful to hang out with them and to see them with Eleanor. Tonight, my mother was singing a simple song to her granddaughter:
gently down the stream
merrily, merrily, merrily
life is but a dream”
A song that, as my mother says “has no merit”, but which reportedly has worked pretty well on all three of her children.
Indeed. While she was singing it, I felt something deep inside me shift, then melt. My knees went weak and a wave of euphoria swept over me. When I blinked back to life, there were tears in my eyes. That simple song voiced in those familiar tones had an almost narcotic effect on me.
(Maybe I should stop singing ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ to my little girl.)
Posted in:
They’re BOTH great songs!
Shonda
That’s the sweet, sweet stuff of tradition. Don’t you dare stop.
“More Than Words”…another song that can be sung to young and old alike.
I guess I just dated myself with this Extreme connection.
Bah.
Ok, Mike, I told you I would tell you why I thought and think your writing is good. I think it’s the familiarity of it and your attention to detail. You’re not quick to get to the point but you stand in the corner or in the middle of something, an event, or in this case, your Mom singing the song and you took the time to write out the words of it. We all know the song but your writing it down brings us very close to it and lets us experience it again. You bring out the beauty in the ordinary simply because you take the time to observe it and don’t deny us the details. So thank you. Ok, that’s it for now. Bye.
Awesome.
I really enjoyed getting to see your parents again. How beautiful to see them loving on Ella, as well.
great to see your folks this weekend.
Mike:
We arrived home in Iowa tonight after a WONDERFUL time in DC and Carolina AND getting to know our first grand-daughter and her parents—–Thanks for your wonderful hospitality—can’r wait to see you AGAIN.
lOVE,
grandpa dave