Wednesday, May 7, 2014

She was a special mom...

My cousin posted a picture of my mom on FB that I had never seen before. She was such a talented and beautiful person and I was thrilled to be able to see another view of her that was lost to me long ago. The picture reminds me again of the beautiful person she was and how lucky I was to have her as my mom. She passed away in 2007 at the age of 86.  

As a talented, professional piano and organ player, she also had a beautiful voice.  She was a bit of a savant, as she played music by ear from the time she was three years old and could play anything she heard – and not with just one hand.  Because she loved music, she continually increased her knowledge over the years and became very professional.  In 1965, after having surgery that affected her voice, she stopped singing.  I am lucky to have a recording of a song she sang long before that happened. Her music was such a large part of my life as I grew up and our home was full of the sounds that inspired her. She practiced every day and always included us in her activities; dedicating songs to us children that we were convinced were written with us in mind.
Because she was able to do the thing she loved most, she was a happy person, sharing and spreading her sunshine with everyone. Her life wasn’t easy or always pleasant, but she rarely complained and mostly found her passion in music, which she shared generously.
I have recordings of nearly every song she ever played and someday I plan to put the music online for all to enjoy. It’s from another time, but when played so well and with such bounteousness, the spirit shines through to all generations.
I was blessed to have someone so giving and caring for my mom and I miss her every day of my life.
© 2014 Linda Gatewood

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