I have enjoyed good music my entire life. The lyrics of a well-written song are meaningful and the melody of superb composition soothes the soul to its most inner core.
There are songs that are attached to memories that are very fond to me.
My younger brother, Gavin, was hospitalized with appendicitis, when he was a little boy. Because I was unaware of whether his illness was severe, I worried horribly about his prognosis. I was downstairs in our home and was very sad, and worried that somehow he was going to die. I turned on the radio, hoping to find some comfort in some music. A song came on and I listened carefully to it's words.
"You packed in the morning and I, stared out the window and I, struggled for something to say. You left in the rain without closing the door, I didn't stand in your way. But I miss you more than I, missed you before and now where I'll find comfort, God knows 'Cause you left me, just when I needed you most. Now most every morning I, stare out the window and I, think about where you might be, I've written you letters, that I'd like to send, if you would just send one to me.'Cause I need you more than I, Needed before and now, where I'll find comfort, God knows. 'Cause you left me, just when I needed you most. You packed in the morning I, stared out the window and I, struggled for something to say.
You left in the rain, without closing the door. I didn't stand in your way. Now I love you more than I, loved you before and now, where I'll find comfort, God knows. 'Cause you left me. Just when I needed you most. Oh, yeah you left me, just when I needed you most. You left me, just when I needed you most."
I heard that song as I was walking through the open market in Holland. A flood of the feelings I felt on that day, many years prior, poured over me.
Today, our family visited with my grandpa. During one portion of the conversation, a memory was shared about a time when grandpa and his older brother, Uncle Bud had sung a song. Without hesitation my grandpa began to sing the song. I will never forget that precious moment in time.
"In the little red school house,
With my book and slate,
In the little red school house,
I was always late.
I long to be back there where I was a scholar, in the days of yore.
How I'd stand right up there and hollar, "two and two are four".
When we should have been learning about the Golden Rule,
our little hearts were yearning for the swimming pool.
Oh how we'd sit and wait for the 4 o'clock bell,
the moment that we heard it we would run like...mad,
O golly gee, I want to be, in the little red school house.
Ten o'clock the spelling lessons just begun,
Johnny throws an ink ball just for fun.
Hits the teachers ear with an awful splat,
She turns around and says, "Who did that?"
Pretty little Percy in the very first row, raises up his hand and says, "Teacher, I know."
Little Johnny whispers to the teachers pride,
"You just wait till I get you outside."
Johnny's told to stand up with his face to the wall,
He says, "I don't wanna" and he tried to stall,
"If I stand up there I'll take an awful chance,
I've got a great big tear in the seat of my pants."
Teacher sends you home to wash your face and then,
you say, "Oh what's the use, it just gets dirty again."
Oh gee, I wanna be, in the little red school house."
There isn't anything better than the comfort of a song from the heart!
