Finding Direction: The Wind Vane Chronicles

[Note:  Remember my other blog 'Grace Notes,' (now demised) about special people who come into our lives to grace us in deeply meaningful, unexpected ways?  This is a Grace Notes story to surpass them all.]

I received a mysterious package last Thursday (Sept. 17), on the 13th anniversary of my dad’s death, when Tom came home for lunch carrying a large manila folder in his left hand.

“What’s that,” I asked him.

“It’s for you,” he replied.  For me?, I thought.

I took it and saw it was addressed to “Dee Ann Andrews Esq., The Picayune Item, P. O. Box 580, Picayune, MS 39466.”  The address was neatly typed on white paper, cut out and taped to the manila folder.   It was postmarked a couple of days before in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.  There was no return address, and I was very puzzled.

Tom said he’d opened it by mistake as it was in his morning mail.  I asked him what was in it and was it something bad, thinking somehow I’d made some major mistake while practicing law and someone was now suing me for all I’m worth.  That I’m not worth a nickel and a dime rubbed together is beside the point.

He said, no it’s not bad.  Is it good, I asked.  Open it and see, he replied, hungry for his lunch and becoming impatient with my persistent questioning, although he knows that trait in me well.

I peeked carefully inside and pulled out a very old 8-page piece of sheet music entitled “A Perfect Day,” Words and Music by Carrie Jacobs-Bond, a woman of whom I’d never heard.  She wrote it exactly 100 years ago in 1909 at Mission Inn, Riverside, California (more on that next time) for voice, with piano and cello accompaniment.   This is what I saw:

I was stunned.

That’s the name of my published story about my last full day with my dad before he died in September, 1996.  “A Perfect Day.”

Some of you have read my story here at Finding Direction and also know I entered it in the Picayune Writers’ Group contest last year, winning 3rd Place, Non-Fiction for it.  It ( along with my 1st Place piece “Acquisition – July 4, 1995“) was published here in Picayune last fall in the “2008 Anthology – A Showcase of Local Writers.”

I began searching for a note, an explanation, a word from whomever had sent this to me.  There was none.  Nothing.  It was totally anonymous.

Was it a friend?  A stranger?  A woman?  A man?  Where?  Who?

Tom thought it could be from a blogging friend, but not addressed that way, I told him, or without a note.

I looked at the music cover, again.  Price – $1.50; Printer – The Boston Music Co.

I was so curious I was about to pop.  I felt amazement.  Wonder.   Astonishment.   I was overwhelmed at someone’s thoughtfulness, caring and sensitivity.  I could not believe an anonymous stranger had done this, but wouldn’t a friend have written?

Someone who had obviously read my published story was so moved by it that they did this.*  This person waited months and months.  To do this for me.  Until this week in September.  This day.

They knew of this piece of music with the same title from so long ago.  Was this theirs, in their collection?  Did they look for it till they found it to send me at the “perfect” time?  Surely, they didn’t buy it for me?  Or did they?  And, why did they not share with me who they are?

The only thing I can think of is that this person must be shy and/or didn’t want any attention paid to themselves, but wanted this to be just for me.  I don’t know if they read Finding Direction at all.  That info was in my bio, along with my website address in the Anthology.

I want to thank them, but I do not know how.  I want them to know how deeply I am touched by their kindness and generosity of spirit.  I hope they will read this and know.

I poured over the words to the song, and longed to hear the melody.  I found it and share it with you now.  Even though it is sung by Sissel in Norwegian, it is the most beautiful version I’ve heard and has the English words captioned on it.

When I heard her singing, while reading the words and watching the photos go by, I felt such feelings of loss and longing for all those we all have loved who are gone from us now.  I wept.  Yet, in the end, joy shone through for those perfect days we had together and great hope and expectation of those endless perfect days ahead when Jesus Christ shall return to claim us as His.

One last thing.  As is my way, I looked up everything I could find about Carrie Jacobs-Bond, which I shall share with you next time, because her life and her music are very compelling and historically interesting.

May you be such a Grace Note in someone’s life today!  Dee

~~~~~~~~~~~~

*The nearest Tom and I can guess, they read it last fall in the 2008 Anthology, where my short bio included info about Tom and the newspaper.  As for Hattiesburg – all of Picayune’s local mail goes there and comes back.  Go figure.