Come on in and join me for a cup of coffee today and I will share a small part of my previous life with you. No....this is not a post about reincarnation. LOL
My beautiful soul mate is my second husband. My first husband was the father of my two beautiful children.
We got married WAY to young...and really neither one of us knew what we were getting into.
He went to school...I worked...had kids...the usual hum drum of life went on.
However...inside this man's chest...beat the heart of a musician. Oh...that wasn't his vocation, he was a teacher; but every chance he got he was writing tunes, strumming his guitar, playing small gigs here and there.
Which meant, he was often not at home. I don't think I ever spent one New Year's Eve with him in the eleven year's we were married. The extra money he brought in with his playing was much needed, but you can only imagine all the difficulty his being gone caused. I felt he was sort of an absentee father....even when he was there.
Oh....and the jealousy...how can a woman compete with a guitar!!!...and I was certainly NOT MATURE enough to handle the situation in a positive manner. His first love truly was his MUSIC.
Fast forward..a number of years, we divorced, I remarried; he didn't.
He went on the road, playing and writing music....LIVING HIS DREAM.
He finally returned to AZ though, in his early 50's in an attempt to settle down and build a life for himself. We settled our differences...and spent many a holiday in each other's company during those years.
He died about 8 years ago, very young, I might add. Our grandson had just been born in June and he passed in September of the same year. He made sure he was at that baby's birth, since he has missed his own children's.
They played the music he had written at his funeral...it took my breath away, it was so very beautiful. He became very involved in a wonderful church community before he died, and there were hundred's of people at his funeral.
He was truly a VERY CREATIVE and remarkable man. I wish I could of been more mature to appreciate his creativity during the time I spent married to him.
I have kept the acoustic guitar we purchased during the time we were married. I hope someday to pass it onto my grandson..along with the wonderful stories about his wild grandpa "the traveling musician".
Have a beautiful day..
Jo
Nice that you were friends again at the end. Different people have different dreams, and sometimes they just conflict, it's true.
ReplyDeleteThis is a lovely story and how good that you reconnected later on. That guitar you kept is a treasure.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your story. I lost my husband 8 years ago. He was very young and I
ReplyDeletedid not think I could ever enjoy my life again but time has a way of healing us.
I have made peace with the lost and enjoy the simple life that God has given me .
I watch my son's 3 little ones everyday while he works,garden and love the stars and moon. I am
open to everything God has in store for me.
Jo..thank you for sharing such a hearfelt and wonderful story. I am still teary :) I am sure he would be very touched to read such words.
ReplyDeleteIt has been a journey, I'm sure..
Best wishes Jo
Jeanne xx
What a nice tribute to one who was an important part of your life.
ReplyDeleteBest,
Bonnie
This is a lovely tribute and how wonderful for your "first" family to have healed and moved forward. I watch so many families deal in the past with such anger and resentment. What a blessing for your children and grandchildren to follow a different path to peace.
ReplyDeletexx
z
It is wonderful that you could come together after so many years and enjoy each other.
ReplyDeleteOh Jo... What a beautiful remembrance of your children's father. Just because a marriage may not work out, doesn't negate the love two people once shared. It's a lovely and generous gesture for you to have saved his guitar in the hopes of one day passing it on to his grandchild.
ReplyDeleteYour description of him as a man and the qualities that kept him in your heart all these years, is so genuine and sweet. Your grandson is very lucky to have you to help keep the love his grandfather had for him alive.
Blessings to you my friend,
~Mrs B
No regrets. They do no good, in any way.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad he followed his dream, eventually.
And I'm glad you found your soul mate.
Gentle hugs,
...♥...
What a bittersweet story, Jo, and a wonderful tribute to the father of your children. He sounds like he was a very creative and talented man.
ReplyDeleteXO,
Jane
Jo, thank you for sharing your lovely story.
ReplyDeleteVery nice, Jo.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Gerry
I really enjoyed reading this sweet Jo. That is a wonderful tribute to the father of your children. Thanks for sharing this. Hugs
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Jo!
ReplyDeleteHe sounds like he was a beautiful man.
Artists are always misunderstood. It's wonderful how you keep his memory alive in such positive way!
That is so respectful of you...how many women could do that with no bitterness.
I am quite sure your grandson will be honoured to have his guitar and hear all about his Grandpa
the musician!
Pamela xo
Just shows what a true treasure you are Jo. Both men were/are lucky to have you in their lives. So glad you ended up with the right one..
ReplyDeleteHi dear Jo.. this is both a sad .. and happy story.. Happy that he was not alone at the end.. Perhaps some are destined for a short life and that is why he needed to go his own way and do all that his soul needed to..
ReplyDeleteHope you have a lovely week.. ciao xxxx Julie
Oh Jo, this is such a touching and tender story. You are a beautiful person and I sincerely hope all you love appreciate you as they should. Thank you for the coffee. It has been a pleasure.
ReplyDeleteOh what a bittersweet story this is that you have shared Jo. Sometimes following one's Dream has unfortunate consequences... however, I often wonder about those of us who did NOT follow our Dream... what would it have been like if we HAD? Being very Bohemian and adoring Art my entire Life I would have certainly been transient and perhaps the "Starving Artist"... which was not at all condusive to long term stability or relationships... especially once children became involved. So instead I became a Banker first and was very successful at that, becoming an AVP before I turned 30, which in the era of the Good Ole' Boy Network was no small feat for a Woman and so my Family were proud. But my Heart was not in that career field and I took an early retirement and began another career in Criminal Law... interesting and I did well at it too... but again, my Heart was not in it. Now that I'm well over 50 I'm finally pursuing my Dreams even though I'm raising a 2nd Family with the G-Kids... better late than never... and though I cannot go full throttle due to commitments to Family, I must say that following one's Heart and Dreams puts you in line with Purpose... and there's nothing quite like that so I'm glad I FINALLY got around to it.
ReplyDeleteBlessings from the AZ Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian