Daddy sets up his amp and fender, it's Saturday afternoon and he's feeling the blues...

  I can see my Daddy in heaven with all the little children gathered around him laughing, jumping and singing.  He's feeling the blues and he's got them feeling it too.  I remember those days when he'd set up his amp and fender he'd start playing and singing with a far away look in his eyes.  You could feel his soul celebrating for he had overcome so many obstacles placed in his path having been born in the backwoods of Mississippi in the 1920's.  He grew up during a time and place when being a Black man was definitely a drawback.  My Daddy like many Black men of his era grew up to be strong men with morals, loyalty, faith, ethics and the will and determination that is so lacking in our present generation.  These men took pride in working and supporting their families.  They held high expectations for their children and the communities that they lived in.
They demanded respect and they gave it unselfishly.  These men were and still are real men. My father raised all of his children to be strong and proud of who they were.  We were not just Black Americans, minorities and we were never less than anyone...we were intelligent human beings that had the same rights and opportunities as anybody else.  Excuses were not tolerated, for if there's a will there's a way.  And the way was always expected to be the right way.  Some of you may be wondering what the amp, guitar and the blues has to do with this...Everything.  I learned early in life that the blues is the heart and soul of who we are.  Too many people whine and complain about broken hearts, hard times and anything else negative.  The blues tells a story, teaches lessons and shows the will and determination of those that came before us who endured and overcame worse adversities than most of us can fathom. How can you learn or understand what you have not experienced?  Can you comprehend loss, pain, disappointments, love, joy, happiness if you've never experienced any of these situations?
I don't know about you, but life has shown me that you can't learn a thing if you don't work through the bad as well as the good.  These are the things that build character.  This is how you keep an open mind and continue to grow. In my mind, I see my Daddy with his amp and fender sitting in his chair singing the blues.  I sing them too.  How about you?