Gratitude
Every year at the end of the year my wife and I take a quiet time and each make up a list of all the wonderful blessings we experienced in the year gone by. The list is made up of happy moments, triumphant moments, down moments where we fell down so low but picked ourselves up again to get back on the road of life and experience. We ponder the great meals, the beautiful homemade bread, the near health misses, good health and exercise, the good friends unexpected and expected support, the travel, the hikes and the frustrations.. Bob Lind is in our home every day, in our hearts and in our minds. He is a CD on our computer, and demo songs on line that have so much meaning for us. His songs are in our hearts when we travel.. He was there for a scary surgery with courage and heartfelt kind words. He was there on my birthday in a video generously made for me. We rooted at a distance for his fan appreciation, joy and successes in Europe and his trip to Toronto. We cheered the Luna Star album, the re-release of his previous albums and the wonderful and meaningful bonus tracks. As I think back to first meeting Bob in his torment years of 1968 and forward I always considered him my friend. I took his music in my heart and on records wherever I went and through all my relationships, to Mexico to go to school for 3 years and throughout my struggles in medical school and residency. The loneliness and uncertainty I often felt along the way and the people lost along the way so many times was very often calmed when his music made me realize " i've been through it all before you". We do share common though different experiences, all of us, but Bob through his words (which I could always "see" in my heart and mind,) help us savor the joy and reexamine our foolish mistakes with the ones we pro port to love.
Just recently I had the opportunity to find my high school sweetheart, whom I hadn't talked to for 40 years!!!! How can one summarize the gap 40 years of experiences, feeling, disappointments, searching, finding, losing, just trying to get it right just one more time? How can you tell someone what influences have made you the person you are now? Bob's music as a gift to her says it all. It summarizes it all. Soooo many beautiful longing moments, and life's appreciation are shared through his music.
Mary, my wife and I are grateful to Bob Lind and how he has enhanced our life through his music and insights into the shared commonness of all our lifes' experiences. I am sure all of you feel the same way though we never seem to hit the mark in getting Bob to know why we love him.
New years resolutions come and go but one of ours this year is simple: By January 2009 there will be at least 5 new people whom will appreciate the gift of Bob Lind. I hope all of you will resolve the same. Thank you Bob for being you. We are grateful. We appreicate you. Ed and Mary Hackie