Let us gather together
as long as we are able
so throw a log on the fire
while we sit ‘round the table
Let us gather together
as long as we are able
so throw a log on the fire
while we sit ‘round the table
Songs are immortal. They slip in our lives without a beginning or end. Sometimes we attach memories to them and that dates them.
“My Immortal” came on the car radio.
I finally realize
that I can’t believe my eyes
when I’m looking in the mirror
the image ain’t always clearer.
I was ready.
In 1997 I lived in Texas where I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a missionary, I spent my time preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. At any given moment, I needed to be ready to share a profound thought usually expounding scripture.
I’ve always been a fan of adages and I collected quotes that I thought were short nuggets of profound wisdom before my mission. The more obscure the reference the better. By the time I left on my mission I had a library of rather exceptional maxims.
I heard the news just the other day,
my good friend from junior high days,
had to leave his family,
he had to go away.
If I remember correctly, I was in kindergarten when the television series The “Dukes of Hazzard” claimed the top spot in the Nielsen ratings. It is entirely possible I’m wrong about the dates. Sometimes I remember things differently than other people. Or the even the truth. The other day I argued with someone about when she taught primary. I was pretty insistent I was right until I realized, uh, she probably knows her own timeline better than me. Oops.
I have a confession. Once upon a time, many years ago I went through a country phase. Don’t blame me, though, it was the early 90’s, the time of Garth Brooks – who personally brought a resurgence of country music. Plus, I happen to come from two people who prefer Willie Nelson to anything the Beatles had to offer. So, it’s in my genes and it was inevitable that I would catch it. My time with country music was brief. I stopped listening to it when I realized it made me feel older than my peers.
It’s kind of my life work to be remembered when I’m gone. I told my niece that I want to be the photo bomb in her stash of Polaroid memories. A little creepy? Perhaps. But being memorable takes a lot of work. Sometimes you just don’t know when a Pavlov trigger is planted. Sometimes you have little control over the associations that bring you to mind. Oh shucks.