nostalgia outside of times square.

Thank you, Charles Mingus.

I’m sitting here in my La-Z-Boy, listening to music on iTunes Shuffle and looking through some of my scrapbooks. It’s amazing to look at pictures that seem like they were taken yesterday, but in fact we’re taken as long ago as 1975.

There’s a very cool connection of listening to Ray Charles’ “Yes Indeed!” while looking at pictures from years ago, as I remember many a Saturday afternoon growing up with my mom playing Ray Charles’ music in the house. As most of the favorite moments and memories of my life are intertwined with music, I’m looking at pictures from certain years and remembering what songs I was listening to, as I have them in my Shuffle.

As I look at pictures of me and my brother Lee from over the years, I remember the songs we were both listening to at the time these pictures were taken. I close my eyes, and I’m right back in 1976 listening to Elton John’s “Island Girl” in my mom’s ‘68 Caprice, and I’m instantly riding in the back of my dad’s ‘75 Pontiac Catalina Safari station wagon once I hear the handclaps to the intro of Rose Royce’s “Car Wash”, the same way as I first heard them in 1977.

I’m mind blown that these memories are all over 40 years ago. It’s very bittersweet, because as much as I remember the happiness I felt at the time, there’s also a tremendous feeling of loss, as my folks are no longer here to share these pictures and songs.

My folks are still with me in my heart and my mind each and every day, as not a single day goes by that I don’t listen to music that I listened to growing up. (Jenn will more than vouch for that!). The day will come that Lauryn and I will make new memories with music, and one day she’ll hopefully put music on her “musical device of the future” (because digital music will eventually end up just like the 8-track), and she’ll be able to think of great memories, whether I’m still here or not.

Nostalgia….a wonderful thing. 😊❤️🎶