Family S O N G.

One Team, One Family

            Often times I find myself thinking about the yesterdays and the wonderful memories I was able to experience growing up.  It brings me such joy and happiness thinking of all the happy times with my brother and two sisters.  I like to think we were not your normal family on the block.  We were loud and energetic and always had smiles on our little sun kissed faces.  One could probably find us riding our bikes, attempting to rollerblade, or singing at the top of our lungs playing an instrument.  Life was simple back then when the only thing you had to worry about was if mom would be forcing us to eat canned peaches for dinner. 

            Mother often raised us in a strong solid home with good morals and values.  Always encouraging us to strive for perfection and to do our best daily.  Many times she would enroll us in a new sport or musical lesson to push us and make us into the humans we have become today, and I will forever be grateful for that.  Working three jobs she gave us everything we ever needed and wanted.  Mother also was always busy with a full schedule, but through the weary tired eyes, and exhausted frail body from the stresses of day-to-day activities and responsibilities, she always managed to show her love with all of the heart she could offer; which was plentiful.   

            Every morning before school we had a process that we strictly followed.  It started with Dad opening up the door and annoyingly starting to sing some type of song from his era in attempt to get our sleepy eyes to open.  It was never a slow whisper or a gentle nudge, but a rocking’ roll jam in the best tone he could muster.  I remember most the song that was sung by Dad went something like “I wake up in the morning and I get out of bed!  Rocking Roll going straight to my head…” Following his famous singing attempt would be his raspy laugh as he told us “get up, its time to go to school!” 

After each of us arose and finally rubbed all the sleep from our eyes we would shower, get dressed and move on to fulfill the responsibilities that mom assigned us every morning; music lessons.  Leaving the house was not an option unless we practiced all of our songs for at least 30 minutes.  I played the piano and guitar and I dreaded it every day, I just didn’t understand why Mom wanted me to do something that I was not interested in and that frustrated me to the point of tears.  Looking back, I can see why she pushed us so hard in this area. 

During our practice and study of music the kitchen was full of wonderful smells of an array of wonderful breakfast foods.  Pots and pans clanked as steamy crispy bacon and sausage, scrambled eggs with ham and hash browns were thrown on the stovetop.  Many courses were made depending on the day and desire of our tummies such as waffles, pancakes, sticky buns, and muffins.  Everything that was made was prepared with love and happiness by the worn hands of our mother.  Breakfast was very important to her, and she wanted her kids to go to school and gain a good education, to focus and to learn.  Mom wanted us to participate and do well and she knew that through a good breakfast that is where it all started.

One very special thing that I have never forgot and still live by today is a family cheer our mother would send us off with.  It was her goal to gather us around and put our hands in the middle.  Motivating words would be softly spoken or the daily schedule of important events would be repeated and then the family cheer would be shouted.  “100 – 100 - GO TEAM, BE NICE TO EVERYONE, HAVE A GREAT DAY!”  Without fail this cheer was what brought us together, it would bring hugs and words of encouragement, it was a bond of support and love.  It brings tears to my eyes looking back and viewing the team unity of my family and the bright light that was trapped in my house due to so much love.

Over the years this memorable cheer has not been repeated as much since we have all grown and left home, but it is still remembered and engrained in our minds and in our hearts.  It is often sent through a simple text message or a lengthy e-mail, but a true smile and a cheerful heart always is formed whichever way it is communicated.

Although cheesy and modest to most, this cheer will carry on in my own personal family.  I want the cheer to have the same impact on my children as it did to my brother, sisters, and I.  Families are a special group of people that I like to refer to as a Team.  It takes all of the players to work together and to be successful.  A winning team always has a winning cheer that motivates, uplifts, and builds.  My goal is to have a large amount of love and peace that will flood my home and inspire my children to be the best they can be while enjoying all the many wonderful opportunities that surface on their path.