Dear James Taylor,
Here is a little story for you. A while back I bought my mother a wooden sign that says, "the only thing wrong with life is that there is no background music." We thought this sign was very funny, because my family is that odd breed of people who are so in love with music that we do have "background" music playing in our heads constantly. We wake up with a song in our heads and throughout the day, we are humming a variety of songs to ourselves depending on what we are doing at that time. There's some Loggins and Messina, a little Allman Brothers, Simon and Garfunkle, Nylons at times, definately the Beatles, of course Jimmy Buffet but above all there is you. There is one of your songs (or several) for every part of my life. I was rocked to sleep with "Your Smiling Face." I danced to "Up On the Roof" on the roof with my sisters. I rolled down my windows and sang "Country Road" at the top of my lungs driving home from college for the first time. I listened to "Something in the Way She Moves" and prayed for someone to feel that way about me. I know all the words to all the songs.
You were at my wedding. There was no cannon in D for me. Mothers and Grandmothers were seated to my mother's favorite song, "Your Smiling Face." My bridesmaids (and best friends) walked down to "You've Got a Friend." I did walk down to the Beatles BUT Daniel and I exited to "How Sweet it is To Be Loved By You."
When I found out I was pregnant, "Sweet Baby James" was playing in my head as happy tears fell. I waited for 40 weeks to rock my baby to your songs. She is five months old now and I cannot believe how much she loves music. One Man Band stays in the car. If the is getting the least bit grumpy about riding. It goes on and she settles down. We had a difficult couple of nights where she was fussy with her last bottle. I got out James Taylor greatest hits, put it on and what happened??? She turned her head and stared at the cd player, settled down, and took her bottle like a pro.
Music is such a huge part of my being. It is emotional and brings so much to life for me. It amazes me that already music can get her moving and laughing, it can calm her down. I pray that she will continue to grow in her love of music. That she will experience concerts and "shows" and opera and whatever else that will bring emotion to the table. I cannot wait to take her to her first concert. Who will it be? Looking forward to a little James Taylor time!
