California Dreamin 7

Lest anyone worry about the youth of today and how they are going to turn out, let me assure you, that there are at least two 11 year old boys with good heads on their shoulders. While on our way for a weekend at our cabin in the mountains, my son and his friend began talking about the things that were important to them. Since sports are their passion, they began talking about the values held by so many of the professional athletes that somehow 89 million over 5 years isn't enough.

But then my son's friend began to tell the story of a little boy in his class at school, that made this whole "Money is everything" perspective more personal. It seems that the boy in his class comes from one of the wealthiest families in our community, but his parents are never at the school for his special events, because they are always working. One of the projects for his class was to make a family crest. This rich young boy did the assignment, but his parents were the only parents in the room that couldn't recognize their own son's family crest. I had a deep sadness for that boy, and for his parents, and the lonliness they must feel. Maybe a lonliness that they don't even recognize yet. But then my son's friend said: "I would rather live in a cardboard box and know that I have a loving family around me, than to have all the money in the world." I told my son's friend to remember that lesson, because it would most likely become one of the most important lessons of his life.

The Rich Young Ruler asked Jesus, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus asked him to go out and sell all he has and give it to the poor." The rich young ruler walked away sad, because he was very wealthy." Jesus said, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God." Luke 18

In College, I used to love to listen to Dan Fogelberg. But one song always stuck out to me because it seemed to be written about my dad. It was called "Leader of the Band." The song is about a guy who is a cabinet maker's son, who goes his own way and becomes a musician. That too is my dad's history. His Great Grandfather, Grandfather, Father, and Uncles were all cabinet makers. His Great Grandfather worked in the old Manor Houses in England. His Grandfather did the internal woodwork on the Titanic. His Father was the first to come to the US from Ireland, and he made custom furniture for the likes if Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Phyllis Diller, Fred McMurray, and many others. My parents whole house is made up of his furniture, that will someday be mine.

But, Dad was always the musician. He began playing the clarinet in elementary school. He played in the Police Boys' Band in Pasadena, was always first chair in school bands, was in the Navy Band and played in the Honolulu Symphony during WWll, and came back to be first chair in the USC band. But he always chose to be the music educator. He could have played in professional Symphonies, but he chose to be an educator. He could have taken his bands to all the huge parade competitions, but he chose not to, because he didn't want to be away from his family every weekend.

But, back to the song. There is a line in the song, "Leader of the Band" that says, "He had a gentle means of sculpting souls that took me years to understand," that so describes this man, who I am honored to call my dad. He was the teacher who would stay after school to talk to a student having problems at home. It was so much more important to him to teach to the person, not just notes on the page. He was the Mr. Holland's Opus, in many ways. At the 20th reunion for the class of 75 at the High School where he taught, he had many students who came up and introduced their husbands and wives to him, prefaced with, "This is the man I have told you about for years." That night, he learned about a girl whose parents were going through a bitter divorce, who was going to take her own life, but something my dad said changed her mind. He learned about another young man, whose family never supported him, who went on to become a great dad, very involved with his kids, because of my dad's influence.

He never made a huge amount of money. He never became famous, but because of his gentle means of sculpting Souls, he has left an impact on more than my family. And he didn't sculpt souls by long speeches, or lessons, but by who he is. His laughter, his smile, his loving nature, the gentleness in his eyes. He is retired, and still teaching private lessons to young people. And the best part is the information he gives them, not through words, but through his gentle spirit, that will have an impact of these people. It may take them years to recognize it, but it is there all the same.

So, on this Father's day, I solute this man. I will say here what I told him this morning, "If I could clone you, I would."