Sunday, March 10, 2013

Anniversaries Bitter and Sweet


Tomorrow, 11 Mar 2013, will be a day both bitter and sweet. It's sweet because it marks six months to the day since my surgery to replace both hips. Things could not be better with my health since then, thank the Lord. I am doing quite well. However, it's also the birthday of my late friend Larry Dambeck.

Larry and I met when I first joined the Mount Prospect Midget Football League (the MPMFA) in sixth grade. He and I generally were the last two players to finish the opening run around the football field, which, no doubt, would still be true today. But while Larry played and started from sixth grade through eighth, I broke a hand in sixth grade and an arm in eighth grade, both on the gridiron; both injuries finished my season, of course.

It was during the second half of freshman year at Prospect High School that Larry and I found ourselves in the same gym class. Larry asked if I wanted to start playing softball and such with his other friends, and so began friendships that have lasted all these years. I met Hauslein, Brickwood, Drager and all the rest, as well as their siblings and parents.

Sometimes Larry and I used to ride our bikes to Randhurst mall, buy a Slurpee at the SS Kresge store and sit on our "freak bench" and watch the people go by. When we got our driver's licenses, and had cars of our own, the trips usually involved Jack in the Box, Luke's or Peep's. And, naturally, a little later still, some of our trips were across the state line into Wisconsin for a beer or six. When his folks moved back to Wisconsin, and Larry moved to Cedarburg with them, I often took the trip up I-294 from Mount Prospect to see him. He moved back to Illinois and lived with my folks and I for a couple of years too.

Larry was Best Man at my wedding, and at Drager's, too, though he himself never married.

As children came along our contact diminished, but it picked up some the last couple of years, aided by the cell phone. I'd call Larry once in a while as I drove home, usually a 45-minute trip (which is how long our calls would last). Went up to see him once in the fall, three years ago, and then four of us guys went up two summers ago. I'm certainly glad we did! We fell right into talking about all of the same things, reminiscing about school and old friends as if days had gone by instead of years.

Larry died on Christmas Eve this past December. He was found sitting in his chair, having just had dinner, TV still on. He went quickly, the doctors say. Too soon, I say, because I was looking forward to the next visit, when we could have renewed our friendship over a beer, some good food and conversations about everything . . . and nothing at all.

Happy Birthday, Larry! It was an honor to know you, and call you my friend.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Linus and Lucy


Here's the popular Vince Guaraldi composition "Linus and Lucy" done by yours truly on our Yamaha Clavinova: Click for MP3 on Box.net

Enjoy!


Wednesday, February 13, 2013

New Lyrics :: Dear Child


The following lyrics are scheduled to be sung in church the fourth weekend in Feb, 2013. They are sung to the tune of the Beatles song "She's Leaving Home", from the Sgt. Pepper album. (Note that there are two or three parts to the chorus.) Put on the song (or click here) and read (or sing) along.

There's a nice analysis of this song here.


Dear Child


Saturday morning, May 26, 1923
Fourth of six children, her family
Loses the youngest before he is three

She is raised Baptist in small town middle America
Reading her Bible her faith's confirmed
Over the years shares what she has learned

She . . .She always knew He was there
is living . . Offered her own life in prayer
LoveThe greatest gift any person can share
Her Heaven waits as she holds to her faith over many years
Dear child

California, she meets her sailor-husband-to-be
Moves to Chicago, is married, then
Becomes a Catholic, as she promised, when

They adopt two children and raise them both in suburbia
She shares her faith with her family
Worship and prayer and humility

She . . .She always knew He was there
is living . . Offered her own life in prayer
LoveThe greatest gift any person can share
Her Heaven waits as she holds to her faith over many years
Dear child

Friday morning at 86 her life slips away
Family and friends at her bedside, for they
Live now as she did, for her they pray

She . . .She always knew He was there
is living . . Offered her own life in prayer
LoveNow she looks into His eyes and He smiles
Home with her Lord in the place she prepared over many years
Now, she is home
Dear child

Lyrics Copyright © 2012 Mark R. Dopita


Tuesday, January 22, 2013

A Quotation :: Life at Every Age


Life at every age has its own compensation. I'm still looking ahead. I don't want to die. There's too much fun in this world and a lot of good folks. A lot of them. And good books to read and fish to catch and pretty women to admire and good men to know. Why, life is a joy.
John F. Smith, Speech and Drama Professor at Otterbein University

This quotation is found in AARP Bulletin, dated January-February 2013. It's from the editorial on page 3, The Magic of the Fountain of Youth.

John F. Smith was forced to retire in 1950 at the age of 70. He immediately went to work at the University as a custodian at the college gymnasium. The quote comes from an interview with the late Charles Kuralt, the legendary CBS reporter who travelled the country looking for stories. (Google "On the Road with Charles Kuralt" or click here.)

I guess Mr. Smith understood the meaning behind the Bible verse, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10 KJV).

For this same thing I must give thanks. For in reading this quote I understand that I have an abundance of the things that really matter: an abundance of family; an abundance of friends, young and old; and the abundance of spirit that comes from a deep, abiding faith in God. Without those things, life would be quite different!