Sing

 Stay with me for a few minutes. While I repeat a few things. There's a reason.

I've bragged on Jim and his athletic abilities. Even as a kid, He was fast...really fast and excellent in track, football and even basketball. He was often written up in the local papers, and his proud mama kept every article in Jim scrapbooks. I've also mentioned how smart he is. He was in the New York accelerated education Regent program. Not an easy feat. How smart, is actually hard to gauge because of his humility and skill to interact with people. We don't all need to understand quantum physics, black holes, and engineering math for Jim to have a conversation with us. Some of his happy time over recent years has been listening to a Space and Time podcast on YouTube. Very relaxing.🙄

 But then there is music. Music is in his blood, and in his heart. What he finds difficult to express in words, he will know or find the music to express his deepest feelings. He has been able to use those talents in local musical theater over the years, singing in choirs and church services, and making up new lyrics to known music for special occasions. He knows I loved Roy Rogers. I WAS Dale. Maybe it was the horses, but there was something special about their wholesome life that resonated with me. So one birthday year, Jim, the performer had a western hat and a CD player set up in a nice restaurant to surprise me with his romantic rendition of "Happy Trails". It never occurs to him not to belt out a song even in a high end steakhouse. It's not my thing to draw attention or to be center stage, so Jim's surprises have taken some adjustment for me. Just a few months ago, we were in a little local mediterranean restaurant. He tipped the guitar player and apparently made a request. So over falafel, he serenaded me with "It Had to be You". Two ladies a few tables down swooned, and with their hands over their hearts, one with tears, I heard how lucky I am. I knew that. I know that.  But, I think it was important for Jim to say out loud how he felt.

So, I play music. Especially back in ICU days, to say things that would resonate with him and also request his brain to recognize and reach for it. I sang to him. Sometimes now, he has short song outbursts, and he'll make corny little hand gestures that he would do before to be funny. A few phrases. Words lost. Words found. One song at a time. One day at a time. Isn't God amazing?