Any bit of conversation, any line, can remind us of some lyrics and cause us to burst into song. Usually, laughter follows, particularly when the song is an oldie or particularly funny.
For me and my two sisters who came right after me, our
mother was a stay-at-home mom. She sang in the kitchen and told us stories of
her childhood, painting pictures of the farm, the depression, and a little
red-haired girl who loved school. She had to quit when she was fourteen to work
in a woolen mill miles away. I could always picture her long shapely legs
carrying her up the hill at Norval, through the Brampton laneways, into the
middle of town where the woolen mill still stands. It’s now an office building
and a restaurant – even my dentist has his practice there.
Mom told me she’d
always wanted to be a writer, which was why she was especially proud of the
fact that I inherited her gift and obsession. Her support and encouragement
allowed me to actually become the author she’d dreamt about.
It was a little different for our two younger sisters,
because Mom went to work when they were quite young. However, the singing never
stopped. Even through her dementia, our mother is beloved by her caregivers and
her fellow residents for her propensity to burst into song at any moment. It
makes them smile.
I wake up in the morning with song lyrics, tunes, and stories in my head. How lucky is that? The Emily Taylor Mysteries
1 comment:
Wow! We have more in common than I thought. My sister and I were always singing together. We put on musical shown in the car on long trips. A phrase would produce a song. Mum sang taught us the oldies. Dad sang along when in the mood - and always to sing Blueberry Hill. I think that's the only song he remembered the words to.
I sang to my daughter pre and post natal. Every night I'd sing her Lida Rose, You are My Sunshine, and Beauty and the Beast. Kate loves to sing.
Mum died while I was pregnant with my son. The last song I sang for a long while was "White Coral Bells" for my mother when she was dying.
I didn't feel like singing, but I often listened to classical and movie themed music. Sam doesn't like singing but he has an amazing ear for music.
We'll have to see what song we have in common on our road trip to St Catherines.
Post a Comment