Fireside with Parker

College was helpful, but I never remember taking a class on actually enjoying your life while surrounded by things to be afraid of in this world.
These lessons are best learned from less experienced professors, like Professor Parker, my little fireside buddy this weekend.
She taught me more in ten minutes than I have learned in the last year.
First of all, she was fearless around the fire. She knew it was there, she knew how to navigate around it, but she remained respectfully fearless. As she would grab for the marshmallows, she never thought, "what if I am not good enough to roast this marshmallow?" or worse, "I am going to get burned...put down the marshmallow and head for safety on the logs!"
Not Professor Parker. She felt through the leaves and brush for the marshmallow bag and pulled one by one out to see how completely in flames she could get it and laughing as it became a torch in the darkening sky. She was completely relaxed with having no idea if she was going to set the place ablaze. She roasted with confidence.
We should all take a lesson here and learn about the fire around us so that we can eliminate the fear and roast with laughter and a little less caution.
Parker didn't get burned. She didn't even have any ashes on her outfit. Absolutely no trace of any evidence that she had seriously torched a bunch of marshmallows and a stick. She went to bed completely unharmed with the memory of enjoying the bonfire more than the worried adults around her.
A little less worry and a little more fire...thank you, Professor Parker!

The Legacy of Musicians

How many times have you heard, "he/she has a heart for music?"
A lot.
But how many times have you heard, "he/she has a heart for the musician?"
Well, you've heard it here.
Last week I was reminded of my heart for musicians. I've grown up with them. As a little girl I danced around recording studios, packed up vans with speaker equipment and watched my dad drive away from banks angry because they wouldn't take a check from a musician.
My first love was a musician, my dad.
Who else could write a beautifully composed telegram and have the nerve to send it to a high school for a young lady to feel extra special on Valentine's Day?
My love of creative expression and explaining the moments of life came from him and his friends. Poetically they lived in the present. They taught me the beauty of living your life for the moments, not your 401K.
Watching my little girl dance to the same musician, Mark Bruner, as I danced to as a little girl warmed a place in my heart that has been chilled for awhile. My dad has been gone almost three years and I have spent those years lonesome for the joy of music he once brought to my life.
Whether it was picking up his guitar and creating a song on the spot about my toys or crazy cats or just dancing with me to the music on the stereo....he lived in the music with me.
Mark reminded me that even though I am tone deaf and can't play or sing a lick, I owe it to my daughter to bring her the beauty of the freedom in spending time with a beautiful group of people, musicians. It is her legacy.

Favorite Aunt?

There is this little boy that lives in Dallas that has stolen my heart and affirmed that yes, this girly gal, could have raised a boy.
My sister and her son, Cole, came in town last weekend. I hustled back from Kansas to see them. They were worth it!
When you are around a two and half year old all boy...you can't help but get a bit crazy. One of my favorite moments with him was our football wrestling match. He seemed to go from a hut to pinning me down like I was a his size. It started with a hut and ended with a spin, whack, jump and flop. I loved it.
Sure, I have been on Tylenol ever since, but it was fabulous to be a part of his imagination and actually feel like I was being an aunt worthy of a "favorite" title.
I will keep aspiring toward this goal as long as we both shall live.