Recently The Chiropractic Journal honored me by doing an article on me. Read it by clicking here. Dr. Margaret in Seattle read it and wrote me after. She has become a kindred spirited friend. Margaret read my recovery for my mother’s stroke. That blog can be read by clicking here. The following is a reply letter that I wrote her after she sent me a warm and thoughtful letter.
Dear Margaret,
Thank you for your lovely note. I feel so blessed to have this time with my mom. I’m glad you got that precious time with your Aunt. Many people don’t know what a gift our older members of society really are. When I had Mom and Dad, when he was still with us, in Mexico they always treated us like royalty everywhere we went. As a community, they seem to cherish their older family members. The down side of being in a society that doesn’t do that is that you can feel so alone in the whole thing. I’ve gotten very tired and I think it’s aged me and my heart has broken, in some ways and has overwhelmed my available time and energy. But, I keep focusing on the gain that has enriched my heart and how important this has been to my daughters. When I’m old, I don’t think they’ll run the other way.
My family, husband and two daughters, is harvesting in Iowa and I’m home alone. After taking Niki(my older daughter) to the airport for her to fly and join the rest, I went by and took a long walk with Mom. It was bitter-sweet because I really needed a private break and she nearly begged to come home with me for the weekend. I slept nearly ELEVEN hours last night!
But, first I headed to Grand Junction in search of people and places that God wants me to make a difference for with my music. This music passion is such a perplexing thing. It seems empty and narcissistic if I don’t share it with others and It’s hard to find venues to share in that are appropriate. I don’t want to waste the moments of my life, like so many when I was young, playing over drunks and noise and people who don’t know I’m there. So, I went from place to place in Grand Junction…even sang for an old man who owned a jewelry store who spent a long time showing me his treasures.(I collect antique pendant watches). Maybe I’m meant to stroll and to touch lives one at a time in a very person way…I don’t know. I found three places, nice places to eat, that seemed to be a good atmosphere for my music. I couldn’t even GIVE me away! I offered to play for dinner vouchers to prove to them that it would be a good thing, and no one took me up on it….at least not YET. Two of them DID say they’d think about it…
In the meantime, guess I’ll use much of my private time this week preparing for three days of recording that I have scheduled later in the week. The stuff that I’m playing these days takes much more practice than my older things and the time to practice is definitely something that I have to be creative to find. I think I’ve said this before that it’s like I’m having a romantic affair with my guitar and have to sneak away to find quality time to spend. I never watch TV unless I have my guitar in my hands unless I’m just simply completely exhausted and have to be mindless for a while.
Have a great Sunday and keep that artist’s heart that you have. Your patients and family benefit from it…and YOU will benefit from it too.
Healthy virtual hugs,
Mary
So, if anyone has an idea for sharing my music, let me know. I don’t have to make a fortune. I just simply want to be heard and make a difference. God has put this music in my heart for a reason and I’ve yet to really understand. Who knows, maybe it’ll never be obvious to me. So, I’ll keep hummin and strummin with a smile on my face.
Thanks for reading…