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Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Thinking of Grandpa

Pin It I have a new favorite Christmas song.

Isn’t it just a little bit funny that we can hear hundreds of versions of one song, and yet we seem to fall in love with only one or two of them?

Music, I firmly believe, has the ability to touch us in a way that nothing else can. It has the capacity to evoke memories, emotions, and intertwine our lives with chords and harmonies that transcend the reaches of time.

It was many years ago that I could remember going to visit my grandfather in the rest home - the place he lived when his health had become so poor that he needed constant care. It seemed that he had no idea half of the time who was with him, or indeed even who they were.



One day, I wheeled him out on the front porch area and went to my vehicle for my guitar. We sat, my grandfather and I, on that beautiful summer day and I began to play some of the songs he knew and loved so well.

As I sang, my grandfather’s quiet and weak voice found mine and together we sang…though he’d made no previous acknowledgement before this as to whom I was. As we finished the final verse, he looked at me briefly and smiled.



I felt tears raining down from my eyes as I looked at this man whom I’d always known and loved so much. We sat and I played my guitar, the music flowing around us, intertwining us both in the moment.

Music does carry a power within it my friends.

Let this song by Dustin Christensen intertwine you as well…

11 comments:

Kalei's Best Friend said...

Music is powerful..omg, this was so full of love and heartfelt... The holidays definitely bring out loving reflections.. I bet your grandpa loved that moment with you...

Jen said...

How beautifully simplistic. What an exceptionally lovely post. I bet your grandpa and my grandmother are doing a lot of singing together :)

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing that beautiful moment with your Grandpa.

tammy said...

I love that music can do that to us. Music is a powerful thing. I love that you shared this.

mamahasspoken said...

I love music too. Thanks for sharing that memory of your grandfather. Most of my memories of mine has beer involved.....

diane rene said...

I remember singing this song when I'd go to church with my friends.
music is amazing! I love how it can draw perfect strangers together

Anonymous said...

Aww. Touching story. May you share lots of music with loved ones this holiday too!

Gerb said...

Music is a powerful stirrer of memories, isn't it? I have a couple of favorite songs which remind me of my grandpa and dad, too.

Rachel said...

Kristen has a story very similar to yours where she recently visited her mother who has dementia. Her mother's body but the mind has gone. One day she sang to her mother and for a brief moment, her mother came back to her and sang with her, and then she was gone again to where ever her mind takes her.

Music is powerful. Things long ago that I'd thought I'd forgotten can be brought back fresh like yesterday when a song is played that evokes these memories.

Corine Moore said...

Hi. :D I just had to tell you how great it is to see a blog about your grandpa. :) He was/is such a total sweetie. He always hugged me and made me feel so AWESOME! I love people like that... who make you feel like you are really somebody special. Anyhow, for what it's worth, he deserves tribute.

PS I'm glad you got to have that special time with him. :) I think it's totally cool. :D

Corine

Danielle said...

Somehow I missed this post when it was done, but saw it linked on the recent one you did.
Love stories about Grandpa. I miss him. He's so awesome.
And I have that picture of him with Coco here in my office. He's always with me.

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