It would be 28 years ago that my Dad left this planet….he
was 59 and I was 24. I can't believe so
much time has passed since that night.
My brother Rob and I sat up with my Dad. I had my guitar in hand and we sang every Harry
Chapin and John Prine song we knew. The
one that sticks the most in my memory is 'Fish and Whistle.' A great John Prine song that just fit the
closeness of that moment, of just being there, not knowing when Dad would slip
away. The chorus: "Father forgive
us for what we must do; you forgive us, we'll forgive you. We'll forgive each other 'til we both turn
blue and we'll go whistlin' and fishin' in heaven…" My Dad loved
to fish and it was just the perfect song other than when I woke up in
the middle of the night to give Dad a dose of pain medicine and heard Jackson
Browne's "Rock me on the Water" only to find Dad had passed on into
the universe. Thinking of you, Dad, and I smile with the thought that you are 'whistlin
and fishin' in heaven.' Miss you…
I wrote a song for Dad a few years back: Another Time (it's the last song down the list...take a listen if you have a chance at this link: http://www.reverbnation.com/lynnhollyfield/songs )
