Your Daddy Loves You

One day my Daddy turned on a song that has stuck with me through the years. He sang along with the husky voice that blared through the speakers over the light keyboard strokes with a soothing flute.

Now sweet lil ol' brown eyed girl, hey, now
Now that you're sleepin'
I've got a confession to make
Of secrets that I've been keepin'
Me and your mama had some problems,
A whole lotta things on our minds
But lately, girl, we've been thinkin' that we were wastin' time
Nearly all the time, and

Your daddy loves you
Your daddy loves his girl
Your daddy loves you
Your daddy loves his girl, hey now

Now sweet lil ol' chocolate girl
Now that you're sleepin' I feel braver
I've got a confession to make
I'll sneak it in while you're dreamin'
Me and your mama had some troubles
There's been a whole lotta things on our minds
But lately when we look at you, we know that we've been wastin' time
Damn near all the time, and

Your daddy loves you
Your daddy loves his girl, hey, now
Said your daddy loves you
Said your daddy loves his girl, hey, now
Your daddy loves you, and your mama, too
Your daddy loves his girl
Loves his girl
Loves his girl


When I took the time to sit and listen to the lyrics of this song, it was as if Scott-Heron had me in mind when he wrote it. It was as if he knew that's what I wanted to hear. I've always known that my Daddy loves me. But when I heard this song and listened to him singing it, I realized that I had a song to hum along with my knowing. Thank you Gil Scott-Heron for giving me a song to hum. A song to believe. 


R.I.P. Gil-Scott Heron

The Golden Time of Day

Summer for me has always been special. For so many years it was not just the long break from school, but a time when the family got together to do fun things. While we kids ran up and down the street, Cousin E.J. would be on the grill hookin' up some ribs. Aunt Sally would come in the house with Cousin Larry, carrying big aluminum pans full of chicken, baked beans, cucumber salad and her famous fruit pie (I have to admit I have yet to try it this pie, but everyone enjoys it. Maybe I'll do that this summer.). Then there were the times when Grandma would let me go out in the backyard to play with the neighbors and give me a plastic cup full of ice to munch on. Or when Mommy would sit out on the front steps and watch me ride my bike with no hands. At my Daddy's house there was always a BBQ going. He'd mix up his homemade BBQ sauce and slather it on the chicken and ribs that he'd seasoned perfectly.

I remember each summer, as the evening went along, there was a breeze. That was my favorite part of each day. As I've gotten older, that breeze still encompasses me every late Spring and every Summer. It's as if God is floating through the air allowing His Spirit to cool the Earth. While at Hampton I would take a walk to the waterfront and sit watching the water ripple beneath the boats and listen to the birds chirp. I would let the breeze blow through my hair while I thought of how blessed I was to be there.

Those summer moments when you can take the time to sit quietly. Those summer moments when you can watch the sun go down. Those summer moments when you can simply be.

Those moments for me are golden.  The Golden Time of Day.

Rasheena and I at Buckroe Beach May 2008