Music and pictures.
Two things that can bring out the emotions in very short order. But that's not all bad. While they conjure up memories, they can also provide inspiration.
I put Erin's school picture up. Just one 5x7 frame was needed this year. I couldn't use the same old frame, the one where each year I just put the new picture over the top of last year's picture. I've put away those frames. Yesterday I bought a new one. Erin's picture looks good in it's brand new frame, alone on the shelf...
I've also spent some time this week getting Erin's scrapbooks up to date. You might wonder why I would torture myself with such a project, but it's important to me to keep documenting Erin's life in the way that I always had. She deserves it.
Music has kept me company while working on these projects. I've even been listening to some country music lately. Erin thinks I'm going through a phase, but I think I just needed to hear something other than the same old stuff. Plus, where else can you hear songs with titles like "Truck, Yeah!" and "I like Girls Who Drink Beer"?
I do have a new musical recommendation - not country, per se, but more of a modern bluegrass sound. Check out The Avett Brothers, and especially their newest album, The Carpenter, which has a strong theme about life and death and fear and hope. Some of the inspiration for the album comes from the struggles of Bob Crawford, the bass player, who is watching his two year old daughter battle a brain tumor. Hallie Crawford is being treated at St. Jude.
So, we continue remembering, moving forward, looking back, carrying on. Memories and inspiration are both welcome any time.
There's no fortune at the end of the road that has no end
There's no returning to the spoils once you've spoiled the thought of them
There's no falling back to sleep once you've waken from the dream
Now I'm rested and I'm ready, I'm rested and I'm ready to begin
- lyrics from February Seven by the Avett Brothers
