Yesterday our daughter, Caroline graduated from Clemson University. We were experiencing another change in our family. Thomas and I were so proud and the legacies of our Clemson families made both of us emotional during the playing of the Alma Mater. It was that song that gave us both joy and tears.
Since I am a singer and love music, I started thinking about songs that are symbols of milestones in our lives. I love this quote; “Life is short but wide.” The longer we live and more we take advantage of the width of life, the more songs we celebrate.
The first song that represented both challenge and change in my life was the playing of “Pomp and Circumstance” at my high school graduation. Then, again at my college graduation.
Only a few years later, I walked down the isle of St. Philips Episcopal Church to the song, “Hear Comes the Bride” or Felix Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March.” My walk to that song introduced a life changing experience.
There have been many songs since: singing lullabies to babies, listening to Beach Music at parties, and singing beloved Christmas Carols.
And, of course, listening to the mournful tune of the playing of “Taps” at the funerals of many relatives we miss and loved so much. The last verse of that song is:
Love, good night, Must thou go,
When the day, And the night
Need thee so?
All is well. Speedeth all
To their rest
My prayer is that with the playing of each song, no matter how sad, there will be precious memories that will give each of us peace and rest.
