Memories of singing good night to our daughter interspersed with a silent annual St. Ignatius of Loyola Spiritual Exercises retreat and the Beatles White Album!
Montage Pic: Public Domain Beatles White Album; Keith MT, Maria; St. Ignatius of Loyola Spiritual Exercises
“Daddy, who's gonna sing 'Good Night' to me while you're gone,” asked tearful 6 year old MT, nickname for our now 35 year old daughter, Maria-Therese, in late January.
I was getting ready then, in the late 80s, to take my then annual silent retreat to Manresa in Convent, LA with Group # 7 – right around Valentine's day, so I had to quickly think of how to console our first born who was experiencing early “separation anxiety.”
Being our first born, my wife and I had dedicated so much attention to her and her education and overall growth.
How can I forget the bike rides that I would take with MT per the attached kid seat to Audubon Park for the kids games and feeding the ducks since we lived Uptown on Broadway near South Claiborne.
And Maria, my wife, used to love to take MT to many cool programs for mothers like the “I to I” (Infancy To Independence) program at Children's Hospital on Henry Clay Avenue, where she met other great Moms like Joan Barasovska, renowned Poet.
MT had many friends she'd gotten to know at Most Holy Name of Jesus Elementary School where she attended, so we had many gatherings with them for sleep-overs and birthday parties.
Back to my encounter with MT as she was going to bed, I then realized that I could make a cassette tape (no cds, ipods, etc back then!) song recording for our girl named after “The Little Flower,” St. Therese of Lisieux.
So I told MT that like “Dennis,” - who sang her favorite kids sing-a-longs and whom she had a cassette of his greatest tunes – I could record the “Good Night, Sleep Tight” song from Beatles White Album (the plain white sleeve has no graphics or text other than the band's name embossed - 50+ Anniversary last year) that I would usually sing to her every night after evening prayers.
Next day, a Wednesday – the day before the Thursday evening to Sunday Manresa Retreat – I took the time to secretly take out my Epiphone guitar outside and took my boom box and recorded that beatiful “Good Night” song sung by Ringo on that double album.
While it took a couple of times to finally get a decent recording, I finally was able to make a neat recorded song with some special messages and prayers for my dear daughter and wife!
So that night, after prayers and singing to MT, I gave her my special cassette and player so she could still get them with Daddy's voice the next day while I was on retreat with the Jesuits by the Mississippi River.
Also, before I left for work the next day, I hid a little special note under the pillows for both Maria and MT wishing them LOVE while I was gong to be away.
When I got back from the retreat, I gave a big hug to MT after giving Maria a kiss and a belated Valentine's Rose! .
The first thing MT told me was: “Thanks for the cassette, Daddy, but I like LIVE the best!”
MT was certainly lucky to have a father who could sing and play the guitar for her every night before she went to bed. If only every child could have that experience it would be wonderful.
A few years ago, my sister sent me a cassette of a re-recording that she made of my younger twin brothers when they were four singing the first song of the Beatles that hit the United States by storm: "I want to hold your hand."
I still have a cassette player that works, so I've been thinking lately that I could easily copy their angelic voices and perfect pitch and tone onto my computer and then make it available through my website or even on YouTube. Now beginning their 60s with grandchildren coming, those guys might be a bit embarrassed, but they sure were cute singing that song to family friends and strangers back then.
Let this coming of age story of a boy named Bean take you back to a simple time. Set in a small southern town in the 1960's, encircled by a river and gleaming white cotton fields.
Let this coming of age story of a boy named Bean take you back to a simple time. Set in a small southern town in the 1960's, encircled by a river and gleaming white cotton fields.
Montage Pic: Public Domain Beatles White Album; Keith MT, Maria; St. Ignatius of Loyola Spiritual Exercises
