MLK, Silly Songs. and Being a Papa

 

Date:   1/19/2021

Dad Joke:  I don’t play soccer because I enjoy the sport:   (Pause) I just do it for the kicks.

Random Thoughts on a Passing Scene:

Yesterday was the National Holiday honoring Martin Luther King.   He provides a unique leadership example.  He never held a high political office; he never held a military command; he never held a high religious position.    Yet, he drove necessary changes in America, spoke to a generation, and cast a societal vision that few other 20th century leaders can match.   He led through strength of character, communication, conviction and compassion.   Through his speeches and writings, he captured a generation of his people.   My suggestion would be to read his “I Have a Dream” speech.   https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/i-have-dream-address-delivered-march-washington-jobs-and-freedom

The closing sections are inspired eloquence and the ending lines resonate profoundly:  “Free at last.  Free at last.  Thank God, Almighty, we are free at last.”

My favorite section: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

Naturally, this got me thinking about being a Papa.

More to do than can ever be done:   

I sing “silly songs” with the Grandkids.  To date and due to proximity, this has been mostly with Alyssa and Ben.  They invariably chime in for the closing as I allow them to conclude the lyric line.  The proper   lyrics are often modified to fit them and when they get in the mood and join in the improvised tunes can often become quite “raucous” – to use a polite word.   On one trip back home from Coeur d’Alene, Ben, Alyssa and I ad-libbed verses the whole way to that Hobbit favorite:  “Chip the Glasses, Crack the Plates, That’s what Bilbo Baggins hates….”     Here are some of the reoccurring silly songs.

America the Beautiful.  Yankee Doodle (Especially the macaroni business). Take me Home Country Road. (To the place I belong, Walla Walla, Mountain Mama, Take me home country road…) Muhlenberg County. (Oh Granddaddy won’t you take me back to Muhlenberg County….)  Country Boy (I got me a wife, I got me a fiddle, sun’s comin’ up, I got cakes on the griddle, life ain’t nothin’ but a funny, funny riddle….Thank God I’m a country boy.) 

There are others but you get the flavor of these Grandpa Hits.    You may think this “silly song” business is highly unusual.   Aha! Not the case, we Bassiers often break into song and carry on like we are in a musical production.   Thus, not only showing real singing talent but putting our impromptu clever rhyming on display!    (For another musical note – “bad pun” - ask Maria and Eric about the spontaneous singing at their rehearsal dinner.)

 More to see than can ever be seen:   

Hoh River Rain Forest of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. 

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/hoh-river-trail

More to know than can ever be known:  

Five things I know about being a Papa:

1.       The years of infants and toddlers go by too fast. 

2.       Few things are better than holding babies as they fall into sleep. 

3.       My work and travel caused me to miss a lot of their early lives.

4.       It was good to be at all of their births and be the first to see and hold them (Jan being a simultaneous or close second to hold.)

5.       I wish I could retract every harsh or non-uplifting word I ever directed at them.

There you have it.

TAB

Comments

  1. UnknownJanuary 20, 2021 at 7:15 PM

    More to know that I knew this morning... In a connection to MLK, I observed a history teacher who shared this video of Bobby Kennedy announcing MLK's assassination. I think that was strategic to prevent rioting or violence in retribution. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=A2kWIa8wSC0).

    Peter does not sing much as a dad, but I'm proud to say he talks a lot of nonsense words which have slipped into our household vocabulary.

    ReplyDelete

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