So, i'm sewing quilts and listening to Joe's IPod, set on random to the AMradio playlist, when a song comes on that so sharply brings back memories that i have to stop sewing and write them down. This is not the first time that this has happened.
What was the song? Billy Joel, Movin' Out.
I was instantly transported to my Ama's living room, with the scent of pre-lo-VOC paint, the vision of drop cloths everywhere and that big old console radio/television armoire that she had. My dad was painting her entire house (favorite son-in-law that he was) and i was just along to keep him company. A song came on and my dad stopped painting to tell me that this was a new artist that he'd just discovered on WEBN (his radio station) and what did i think of him. Billy Joel. An artist that went on to be popular with my dad and many others.
While this exchange may have just been a moment out of his life, certainly not one of the "pivotal parenting moments" that he may or may not have ever flashed back on in reviewing his life, i remembered it always. Just me and my dad, listening to his music and chatting. Nothing special. Nothing that out of the ordinary. Just gives me a twinge to know that i can't call and tell him that i'm thinking of him. Did i do that enough when i could? Does anyone ever know if they do enough until it's too late?
This also got me thinking. Which of today's or tomorrow's little moments will stick out to my kids? The aphorism is that, in raising kids, the hours drag and the years fly by. It's soooo true. We motor through the days, getting done what we "have to do" and look up to realize that the time has flown by.
(OMG, another Billy Joel song has cycled in....i miss my daddy.... when does the crying time pass?)
Gotta go. Hard to type like this. Gotta change the play list.
so i read this post and immediately understood what you were saying. songs come on and like a wormhole you are thrown right back into that moment - you can hear, smell and almost taste what was happening at that time.
ReplyDeletei think of dad as well and often. kids and i talk all the time of their dad and the memories - we try to keep the happy ones alive. and then, as you said, you try to create and hope the memories that you are creating is something that will timewarp them back someday.
thanks for sharing. - luv