The first six weeks of 2016 have been hard ones for music lovers, particularly for us Boomers as we have seen so many of the musical icons of our youth pass away. The death of Maurice White last week especially saddened me. The music of Earth, Wind & Fire comprised much of the soundtrack of my life during my college days and so many of my memories of that time are wrapped up in their songs. I mean, true story, I actually did go out with one of my main crushes on the 21st night of September, so you don’t need to ask me “do you remember?” Heck, yeah, I do!
Last Friday morning I pulled out all of my Earth, Wind & Fire CDs and had my own private concert for a couple hours. I think I listened to “Love’s Holiday” about ten times in a row. Even after years of listening, that one still reduces me to emotional rubble. It remains one of my favorites despite the fact that back in the day I made some questionable decisions under its influence on a lonely Saturday night. (Note to self: Go back in time and DON’T call him!) Ah, but what’s youth without a little humiliation at the hands of the opposite sex?
Youthful indiscretion aside, my brief love’s holiday in the past was an enormously enjoyable one, in large part because everyone I loved still lived there—healthy, happy and whole. Our lives in that magical bubble of time had not yet been touched by death or disease; tragedy and loss were not yet part of our vocabulary. We still greeted every day with the confident expectation born of innocence. And the wonderful music of Earth, Wind & Fire was there, backing it all up.
Inevitably, of course, my holiday had to end. It was time to return to the present, the present where sadness and loss have ruled of late, where I no longer have all of my loved ones here with me, healthy, happy and whole. And while there is no denying the sadness I feel at their absence, I am grateful for the rich legacies they have left behind. I need look no further than the rooms of my house for tangible reminders of their graciousness and generosity toward me. In the paintings and pottery made by their own hand and the many photos of our treasured—and often loony— times together, they live on. In the million memories of the words, touches and looks that passed between us, they live on. And now and then if the longing to be closer to them overwhelms me, I will take a little love’s holiday and revisit those happy days we spent together.
And I have Maurice White and his incredible legacy of music to thank for that.
What a lovely way to reminisce about music from the past when our biggest tragedy was not having a date for a dance that featured tunes from Earth, Wind and Fire. Now that we are boomers, life is full of loss. I love the way you brought your days of innocence and youth into the present day with sweet memories.
Thank you so much, Molly. Don’t you just wish you could go back and be that carefree for a day or two. Although, I have to tell you that I’m still not quite over the time it snowed so much they had to cancel Youth Center Saturday night, which was only held every other week to begin with, so cancelling it meant I had to go another TWO weeks before getting to see if “he” was going to ask me to dance. So, obviously, there was tragedy back in those days 😉 but I prefer to remember only the good times–you know, the times when the roads had been plowed and salted. Stupid Pennsylvania winters!
Prom’s themes in the 70’s — either Nights in White Satin or Reasons by Earth Wind and Fire.
Hey, ours was “We May Never Pass This Way Again.” And, come to think of it, we really never did! 😉 I miss a lot of things about those days, mainly my waistline, but also the music! Thanks for stopping by, Jennifer.
It is sad to see so many of our musical icons pass. I think this is going to be a recurring trend for me as many of the musicians I most love are considerably older than I am
I know, it’s so sad. They feel like such a part of our lives and are attached to so many of our memories even though we never “knew’ them. Thanks so much for stopping by, Michele.
It’s been really tough lately, the loss of so many talented musicians who sang their way through my life. I loved Earth Wind and Fire and was so happy to see the Grammys acknowledge him.
I know, it has been brutal. Yes, so glad to see the Grammys pay tribute to him. Sad, but what a musical legacy he left us. Thanks for stopping by!
Lovely post and it seems for each of us music is a fond journey back in time. We may not all enjoy the same songs, yet we do have the memories of the music.
Yes, music is stunning in its ability to affect all our emotions and evoke so many feelings and memories–as if we’re right back there in time. Thank you so much for reading!
Lovely, but also heartwrenching. But I think it is often the way that music will invoke bitter sweet feelings, good memories and the feeling of a time, coupled with the sense of loss that it is now past.
I couldn’t have explained it any better. It’s just a watershed of emotions. Thanks so much for “getting” me!