Something that Always Makes You Cry?

What is something that always makes you cry?

Certain songs always make me cry. The two that immediately come to mind are “Wind Beneath Your Wings” (written by Larry Henley and Jeff Silbar) from the Beaches song track and Garth Brooks “The Dance” (lyrics by Tony Arata).

“Wind Beneath Your Wings” was played at my father’s funeral in 1989. The Dance was played at a cousin’s wedding in 1990 in honor of my dad. Dad had always promised to dance at her wedding. All of these years later I still cry if I hear either song.

Excerpt from “Wind Beneath Your Wings”

It must have been cold there in my shadow
To never have sunlight on your face
You were content to let me shine, that's your way
You always walked a step behind

So I was the one with all the glory
While you were the one with all the strength
A beautiful face without a name for so long
A beautiful smile to hide the pain

Did you ever know that you're my hero
And everything I would like to be?
I can fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings

When I hear this song or see the lyrics, I think of both of my parents and how hard they fought throughout their life to provide a better life for my siblings and me. No matter what life threw at them they kept on putting in the effort. My dad’s parents thought he was stupid for trying to work after his accident shattered his pelvic bone. They thought his life would be better if he just found a way to collect disability. Instead, he chose to find work and live with the pain. He wanted to be a good role model for his children and to provide for his family.

My mom was right beside my dad in showing us how to put one foot in front of the other and keep trying when we might have wanted to quit. She was the family’s primary source of income for almost two years while my dad was in the hospital and then completed both physical rehabilitation and schooling to become a tool and die maker. Dad lived away from us in Toledo for much of that time. We would drive up to see him on the weekends. Which meant my mom was a single mom five to six days a week.

Even if they were not my parents, I would have admired Kenneth and DeAnn Karnes for their appreciation of life. I like to think of them Polka dancing in Heaven where both of their bodies are cancer free, and my dad walks pain free.