I was driving to work today, listening to my iPod (thank God for the iPod hookup in my car, otherwise I'd be stuck listening to crappy music on the radio) when a song that I first heard as a child came on. It was "My Wild Irish Rose." It's an Irish folk song that is often sung in Barber Shop choirs. In fact, that's my first memory of the song. My Godfather, Fred (Uncle Fred) was in a Barber Shop choir (for those of you on the up and up in music, he was a member of the Valleyaires, located in the San Fernando Valley) and I remember going to one of his concerts many, many years ago and hearing that song for the first time.
Anytime I hear that song, I seem to think of him. Well, today, I got to thinking about the last time I saw him. It was about six years ago (about six months before he died) and my high school's Chamber Choir had the privilege of singing at one of the Valleyaires' concerts. It was an amazing experience to be performing with not only a choir that I had seen regularly as a child, but more importantly, performing with my Uncle Fred. I actually didn't realize that was the last time I saw him until today. I think I saw him shortly before he died, but I can't be sure and if I did, I don't remember it. This was the last time I remember seeing him. It made me smile to think that the last time I remember seeing him was a time in which we were both happy and enjoying what we do.
This is how I will remember my Uncle Fred. Happy, and full of life. I will also remember him as Santa because every year when I was a kid, he would dress up as Santa at our Christmas parties and spend time with each of the kids there. In later years, when my sister went into her group home and the home would have Christmas parties, he would come to those too and play Santa and get a kick out of how happy he made people. He was a truely inspiring man and I was so privileged to have known him the way I did.
Rest in Peace, Uncle Fred. You are greatly missed.
Love,
Your Wild Irish Rose
Anytime I hear that song, I seem to think of him. Well, today, I got to thinking about the last time I saw him. It was about six years ago (about six months before he died) and my high school's Chamber Choir had the privilege of singing at one of the Valleyaires' concerts. It was an amazing experience to be performing with not only a choir that I had seen regularly as a child, but more importantly, performing with my Uncle Fred. I actually didn't realize that was the last time I saw him until today. I think I saw him shortly before he died, but I can't be sure and if I did, I don't remember it. This was the last time I remember seeing him. It made me smile to think that the last time I remember seeing him was a time in which we were both happy and enjoying what we do.
This is how I will remember my Uncle Fred. Happy, and full of life. I will also remember him as Santa because every year when I was a kid, he would dress up as Santa at our Christmas parties and spend time with each of the kids there. In later years, when my sister went into her group home and the home would have Christmas parties, he would come to those too and play Santa and get a kick out of how happy he made people. He was a truely inspiring man and I was so privileged to have known him the way I did.
Rest in Peace, Uncle Fred. You are greatly missed.
Love,
Your Wild Irish Rose
PS: In the picture he is in the first row on the very far right...the one that kind of looks like, you guessed it, Santa.
No comments:
Post a Comment