A Hidden Message

This past weekend I had our first wedding at Eagles View Bed and Breakfast. I woke up Saturday October 1st,2010 to a beautiful sunny fall day. My first thought was “ Wow what a beautiful day for a wedding. I had no idea at the time what this beautiful day was about to truly give me. Now I will go back in time to talk about a past event. The year 2000 living in Cincinnati, on Monette Ct. My four children were young and still living at home. At the time I was a very busy Wife, Mother, Dedicated Daughter, and a Teacher at a Dental School. During that time of my life I was so busy I didn’t have time to breath much less think. It was going from one task to another and constant emergencies with my terminally ill father that I helped take care of.. One evening at home I was listening to music by myself in my living room. Music was a big part of my life. I could identify with certain songs. I always escape into music which in return would fill me up and energize me for the next day events. At the time I had my very favorites. My top five artists that captured my soul, energized my spirit and calmed my heart. Jewel. Sara McLachlan, Stevie Nikes, Natalie Merchant, and Sheryl Crow. Now I know you are wondering what all this as to do with the wedding on October 1st. One summer evening I felt completely depleted. I decide to take a little time to myself and pull out my top five CD’s. I put Jewel in first when I had a knock at the door. I jumped up and went to the door. When I opened the door my father was standing there with oxygen in his nose holding his portable oxygen tank. “ Hi Deb” your mom is at work so I thought I would come up and see you.” At the request of my father seven years prior I bought a home around the corner from my Mom & Dad. The same neighborhood I grew up in. I let my dad in and told him I was in the living room listening to music. He came up into the living room and sat down. He looked so fragile to me and I can remember feeling so scared for him and for me. He asked what I was listening to and I told him Jewel. He asked why I liked her music. I told him I liked women artist that wrote their own lyrics but more so artist that had a lot of humility. He ask how do you know Jewel has humility? I told him because at one point in her life she was homeless sleeping in her car and she was very scared. She had the courage to fight through the fear and grow into who she is now. The same humility I seen in my father who was terribly scared to die and he knew he was. Just then number 13 song came on ‘Angels Standing By” from her Spirit album began to play. My dad became real quite and listened to ever word of that song. I didn’t listen to the words because I was too busy watching him listen and the expressions on his face. When the song was over he asked me if I would promise to play that song at his funeral. I remember having a heart wrenching pain in my heart when he made that request. Wondering how I was ever going to live on with out the most important person in my life “MY FATHER” Of course I promised. Several occasions after that he asked me to play that song for him. Again he would make me promise to play it at his funeral. Now back to October 1st. The day of the wedding. All the guest were sitting  patiently waiting for the ceremony to begin. However we had a problem inside. The bride forgot to bring the music she needed to play for the ceremony. Her mother went to the car and grabbed a CD of love songs she burnt. The Bride picked the song from that CD that she wanted to walk down the isle to. My husband placed the CD into the player. The speakers were out side on the deck were the ceremony was being held. To our surprise the CD would not load. The bride and her bridesmaid were in line waiting for the music to begin. The bride requested we just pick a CD that we may have. She expressed her concerns about the guest waiting so long. She explained to us she didn’t care what it was. I felt rushed and concerned about what I was going to grab out of my CD cabinet. I opened the cabinet and just grabbed a CD case. It was Jewel that I had not listened to since March 25th 2001. I handed it to my husband and said” play number 13“. I don’t know why I said number 13. I didn’t even remember what number 13 was. He placed it into the CD player and hit number 13. The music began to play and the brides maids preceded to walk down the isle. I heard Jewel “Angels Standing By” I got goose bumps all up and down my arms watching the bride walk down the isle with her father. Still very busy in my mind about the wedding I didn’t hear the message. The next morning in my quite time I pulled Jewel up on You tube. And played Angel Standing By. I listened to every word as my dad did that summer evening at my house in 2000. I heard the hidden message from him to me. I kept my promise and played that song at his funeral. He died march 25th 2001. After his death my passion to listen to music and to write died with him as so I thought. Since 2001 I stopped writing and have not listen to Jewel till the day of the wedding. October 1st 2010. Nine years later. I got the message from him now. I feel so connected to him as if he was in my living room talking with me. Today I feel light hearted. I can listen to music again with the passion I once had. My heart and creative mind is open again to write. Thank you dad I got your message when you knew it was time for me to receive it~~

Advertisement