Catch That Fleeting Moment

The other day I was in my car driving, windows open, breeze flowing through my hair.  It was going on sunset.  I was on a country road with wide open fields and the radio on.  Suddenly Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard began to play on the radio station and a big grin spread across my face.

Why? Because I felt my deceased father dancing with me.  As my rear-end wiggled in the seat, I felt him with me.  In a fleeting moment, I was twelve again dancing with him in our living room as his 8 track tape of Paul Simon played.  In the very real memory, it was winter and as the beginning notes of the song played, he jumped up from our checkers game and began to dance with me.  He spun me around, teaching me dancing moves that I’m sure he made up as we danced.  I was laughing in that fleeting moment of memory.

Tears poured down my face, drying quickly as the memory faded.  I kept on driving, smiling through the tears.  In that moment, I knew he was there.  But just as quickly as the memory of dancing came to me with such a feeling of life and his love for me, it was gone, as swiftly as it came.

When I got home, I found the song again and played it repeatedly a few times hoping that he would return for another dance.  But he didn’t and the tears flowed again.  Grateful that he showed up unbidden, but sad that he is no longer here, I began to write this post – and finally decided to publish it.

Has this ever happened to you?  A fleeting moment of certainty that the presence of a loved one has visited?  Don’t let those moments of synchronicity pass you by dear friends.  Always make sure to catch that fleeting moment for they are few and far between.

I attached the video below.  It’s not exactly how I remember the song, but it does my heart good to hear it again.  I hope it brings back sweet memories for you too!

Shine On!

xo

Gratitude Day 27 ~ Relish Life…

Journey. Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey,

and share our love with friends and family.

One day each of us will run out of tomorrows. Thomas S. Monson

We are all on this journey called life…together or apart, our journey doesn’t end as I believe we carry our dreams and memories with us so that even if we are far apart in death, we are close together in heart.  I am sad that my Dad has passed and as I awoke this morning, I had to think of what day it is…and then it hit me, it’s the first Monday without Dad and it brought tears to my eyes ~ because that is how he would have thought…and I am so much like him at times.

He counted the days, the times, the special moments ~ so many people have told me how he remembered their birthdays, anniversaries and special days and always called them ~ spreading good cheer.  He never wrote down any of these dates, he had them all in his head.  Somehow cataloged ~ and he could tell you all about their families, the relationships and how they intertwined.  He was a secret keeper I know, he knew others’ family secrets, but never broke that bond of silence.  I never appreciated this with enthusiasm until now and surely from the other side, he’s laughing now that I have realized and am appreciating who he was.

He didn’t know he was running out of his tomorrows ~ a lesson for us all.  The sadness comes in waves as do the tears and giggles of some of the memories I have of him.  I don’t want to be sad all the time because I’m a ‘glass is half full’ type of gal.

So I’m ending on a high note ~ this song is for you Dad…

You Can Call Me Al ~ uq-gYOrU8bA

I am grateful for Al.

xo