As the dawn breaks . . .

Like most days in the last few years, it's 4:00 am and I'm awake and ready to start the day! Being an early riser isn't something that has always existed in my life, it showed up a few years ago when sleeping was something I didn't do much of. I now sleep like a baby, but the early rising has stayed with me. And I'm very happy that it has.

Years ago, a friend of mine lost someone very close to her, for months and months afterwards, she would wake up in a deep dark depression. I didn't get that at all, why would you wake up depressed, the dawning of a new day is the opportunity to "do things better, make things right." I didn't get that right up until the day that I lost my Daddy, suddenly, like my friend, I would wake up terribly depressed, unable to see any possibility in the day. Desperate to understand why that fog of depression was hanging over me in the mornings, I thought about it, I talked about it, I tried to ignore it, I punched at it, I smiled at it, I cried about it! I finally realized, when you've lost someone who is a piece of your heart and soul, your world will forever be tilted, there's no possibility of "doing things better, making things right" with that person, you have to figure out how to right your world without them. That piece of your heart and soul is simply gone, and it's depressing, until the fog of lose burns off and you are left with the Sunlight of the good memories and The Shadow of the Smile that meant so much!

Being a person who hears music in my head all the time, music is where I find comfort. My all time favorite songs come to mind when I think about those that I love, and clearing the fog that use to overtakes my wakings. The song that plays in my heart and head in the early morning when I think about my Daddy. "The Shadow of Your Smile." There is a line in that song that says "The Shadow of Your Smile, when you are gone, will color all my dreams and light the dawn . . ." In my opinion, no one has ever sung that song better than John Gary, not even the voice in my own head. Of all the voices in the world, John Gary's voice was the one voice that all the generations of my family had the biggest appreciation for. My mother was a fan, my sister Carlita and her daughter are fans, Rufus and her mother were fans, and I'm a fan. John Gary sang at my nieces wedding reception years ago, and after his show, The Princess spent the rest of the night, being carried around on his hip. The Princess was only 3 years old at time, dressed up in her flower girl dress, John Gary thought she was prettiest girl in the room, and he carried her around all night. The picture of John Gary holding the The Princess in his arms and dancing across the floor is one of my favorites, the Princess is probably a fan also! That might have been her first dance!

I had a wonderful relationship with my Daddy. I only have one regret, I don't think I ever truly found the words to Thank him for all he was to me, the words of a song that come closest to thanking the person who took me for crayons to perfume, are the words of "To Sir with Love."

The other song that has played in my head and lifted the fog so many times. "Sunlight." I guess I should say, a song by "Three Dog Night" but actually, as far as I'm concerned, it's a song by Chuck Negron (the voice I've always appreciated most), sung beautifully, without much of the rest of Three Dog Night. There's a line in that song that says "have you seen the Sunlight falling through her hair. . ." I feel my very best with the Sunlight falling through my hair, and there's another line that says "if you wake up screaming, scared about what you're dreaming, you know she is there, she can share, cause that's the way she feels about You." I'm at my best when I'm there for someone I care about! And, over the last few years, without those that were fearless about being there, when I woke up screaming, scared about what I was dreaming, they were there because that's the way they feel about me! I don't think I would have made it back to the "Sunlight." They were great fog lifters!

One of those people, knowing how much I love the dawn, sent me a picture of a recent dawning of one of her days. Here it is!

Here's what she said in the email when she sent this picture.

Good Morning,

We had a little fog this morning. Thought you might enjoy the pic of today's sunrise.

Thanks for sending this picture Hooper, it's a great shot of what's possible, if you live in the possibility of the day! "Sunlight" will burn-off the fog and leave you with "The Shadow of Your Smile" if you'll let it! There's nothing better than the shadow of the smile of someone you care about. The shadow of your smile is alive in my head right now Hooper, and, you are a charter member of my "Fog Lifter's Club."

Bright and shiny morning to all the members of my Fog Lifter's Club! Thank you for being my "Sunlight."

P.S. This is an unpaid commercial for the Voices that are also members of my Fog Lifter's Club.

John Gary, that beautiful voice, singing that beautiful song, is no longer with us, but, his music is still alive and well and can be purchased on amazon.com. "Yellow Bird up high in banana tree. . ." oops, sorry, John Gary moment in my head!

Chuck Negron is alive and well and still out there gracing the world with that incredible Voice of his! Be good to yourself, treat yourself to one of his live and lively shows, or purchase one of his SOLO CD's. Ok, ok, buy the CD that contains "Sunlight" also! Read his book Three Dog Nightmare, a book of inspiration no matter what caused your slip and fall! Purchase his CD's and book at www.negron.com or visit amazon.com.

Lulu, the voice I hear singing "To Sir with Love." Also alive and well and available on amazon.com.