Yup, that would be me!!!
We attended our Grandsons High School Graduation party this afternoon.
We're
very proud of him. His mother brought him up with a good solid
religious foundation. He is a very personable, entertaining, and
respectful young man, that shows wisdom beyond his 18 years.
At
around age 8 he began to show an interest in music. Once he started, he
never looked back. He started on the Sax, went to drums, then guitar.
Today he can play so many different instruments that I can't list them
all, because quite frankly I don't know them all. I've watched him pick
up an instrument that he's never played before, putz with it for a
little while, and be playing music on it just that fast.
He and
two of his friends performed for us this afternoon. I was quite
surprised at the genre these three young men played, they started out
with some Stevie Ray, played some Jazz, and finished with a series of
50's rock hits. It was obvious that these young men had decided to play
music that the party crowd may want to hear, not just what they
themselves may want to play. These three young men showed great respect
and consideration.
Nathan
is smart enough, and has honed his talents to the point of earning a 4
year ride at the McNally Smith Collage of Music. This is a very small
for-profit collage, it has an enrollment of 530 students. For Nathan to
have earned his scholarship really tells me to what degree of talent
this young man really has. He is going to pursue a degree in musical
development, which means absolutely nothing to me, but according to his
mother, it will offer him opportunity's into a great variety of jobs in
the music industry.
Nathan
is not blood kin, I was fortunate enough to have inherited him as a
result of two marriages. First mine to my wife, then my wife's son to
Nathans mother. Nathan was three years old the first time I met him.
At
this point I should mention that Nathan is what his mother refers to as
her "miracle baby". Yes I know, all mothers say that, but there's a bit
more to the story. Nathan was born deaf, and the doctors told his
mother that he would more than likely remain that way throughout his
life. At age three Nathan underwent a very low percentage surgery, and
by God it was a success. When I fist met Nathan
his eyes were still bloodshot as he was recovering from the surgery.
Mine was among the first human voices he ever heard. He never answered
me as I spoke to him that day, but I still have the image of his young
intelligent bloodshot eyes in my mind today. I could tell right away
that he was a very smart young boy.
I don't think that
I can truly express how proud I am of, or how privileged I feel to be a
part of this fine young mans life. It seems to me that God must have
been smiling at us all when he brought us together. I have no doubt that
he was smiling at us all today.