This picture of my father is nearly 30 years old, but it's one of my very most favorite pictures of him. I must have been home visiting from college, because my guitar is sitting next to him. He must have been in a pretty good mood - normally he wasn't too keen with pictures. So for his guard to be down and show his silly side was always a delight - especially to capture in on camera.
My brother and I grew up listening to him play the ukulele and sing old songs like "By the Light of the Silvery Moon". He was 51 years old when I was born, and music was one of the few threads that bound us together. My brother and I cherished these songs and even had our own special parts to them. I still get teary when I hear them occasionally, even after all these years.
My father has been gone more than 13 years now, which is hard for me to believe. He was a fascinating person. Born in Scotland, led a full and interesting life, married late, and became a successful and respected leader in the movie industry. He could be unpredictable, tactless and sometimes even frightening. But he could also be a big tease, and had a loving, generous, faith-filled heart. I miss him.
Once as I was wandering in a large antiques mall, I heard the unmistakable sound of someone strumming a ukulele from afar. It stopped me in my tracks and took great effort on my part to compose myself. Funny, how something so unexpected runs so unexpectedly deep. When the light of the silvery moon shines down, I know my father is watching over me. Happy Father's Day Dad - I love you.
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But of course Father's Day is also about the here and now. And I would be amiss if I didn't mention my husband John, the father of our own three boys. I am grateful for his hard work and dedication, for all his effort. I hope he knows how much we all appreciate him. I know most of the time he'd much rather have a guitar in his hands than be doing anything else. But he has also passed that gift and appreciation of music to his boys - and so the thread of music in common continues down the line. Thank you John, for all you do - we love you :)
Best wishes to all of you men out there today! Have a wonderful day!
