By Digler, 30 March 2010
In the immortal words of Lionel Richie, “I’m easy like Sunday morning”. Some might say (like my wife) that I can be difficult to buy presents for – I don’t deny that I like what I like and can be picky at times. But I am by nature happy and easy-going. I literally have a big smile and the vast majority of the time you’ll see it on my face. I’ve actually had people ask me why I seem to be happy most of the time (interestingly this has happened more frequently in Boston). I usually simply say I have a wife and girls at home who I love and who love me. That’s enough to make me happy forever.
My wife and I have had some deaths recently both in our extended family and in the family of friends. And even closer to home, there are currently some fairly serious health issues that people we care deeply about are dealing with. I’ve been spending some time trying to remember time spent with those suffering and those who have passed on. And without fail the memories that come back to me are simple moments, overwhelmingly positive and nearly all worth a laugh. And those memories make me smile. We’re also expecting another baby any day now and when I think about seeing my son for the first time, and us falling asleep (probably me first) as he’s cuddled up on my chest on the couch while I watch a game, I smile.
This entry may be a little cheesy, but with life and death playing a prominent role in my life right now, it’s what you get. So here are some things I really look fondly back on and look eagerly forward to: my girls running into my office when they wake up to give me a hug and say good morning and actually sitting still for a few minutes with sleep still in their eyes before asking to watch Curious George; my wife and I holding that new baby boy and wondering aloud what we’ve gotten ourselves into, again; a March Madness game that I know I will remember for years to come; Patriot’s Day in Boston (Boston’s Best Day); a late summer night in Idaho with a sky big and full of stars and the only sound that of a few crickets and sprinkler pipes in the distance; sharing a ridiculous story with a friend; finding a great album.
Album # 8 – Joshua Radin – We Were Here
Those are pretty simple memories but they are good enough for me. Here’s another one. A few years ago my wife and I stumbled upon an album that we really liked by Joshua Radin titled We Were Here, which is # 8 on our list. I was getting ready to finish my MBA and my wife surprised me with tickets to a concert in Connecticut where he was the opener. I had no idea where we were going or why until we pulled into a less than appealing part of Hartford at a tiny venue and saw ‘Joshua Radin’ on the billboard. The crowd was really small and not appreciative of his music but we loved it. We chatted with him for several minutes afterwards, told him we had a new baby and said he needed some baby gear to sell. He then suggested an XS t-shirt. We agreed, bought it, and had him sign it. He asked our daughter’s name and then wrote her name and signed, “Love Joshua”. Both of our girls have now worn that t-shirt as a nightgown and love it and we love that we are reminded of that concert every time they put it on. His music is like that memory and the others I’ve mentioned here. It’s simple. It’s mostly him and a guitar and sometimes a girl with an amazing voice named Priscilla Ahn helping with harmony. It’s the kind of music that makes you reflect, makes you appreciate the things you have, and makes you happy. Give it a listen. You’ll enjoy it and you’ll keep going back to it when you need a smile.
Listen to "Everything'll Be Alright"
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