My mom played the piano. My brothers and I would sing Christmas carols or Phantom of the Opera, Les Mis and others. She always wanted me to sing Castle On A Cloud.
I never thought I had a particularly good voice. But I could sing. And I sang it when she wanted me to. Those times by the piano opening up my voice and singing. Laughing. Being close. Those are precious memories.
Recently I’ve been singing that song to my boys at night. To help them calm down and sleep. I think of my mom when I do this. It’s bittersweet. Sometimes I get emotional and my throats closes up. I’m sharing something my mom loved with them. They don’t know. They don’t know my mom.
But I’ll help them know her. And my dad. Through stories. And songs. And silly things that they did that I do now.
I don’t imagine my parents are in a castle somewhere up in heaven. They’re too close to home still. Right here with me. Right here. They’ll never be that far away. And I hope they seep into my boys’ hearts over time and find their own castle there. Not up in some cloud.
