Forever Young

Last Friday night, my brother,  sister-in-law and I went to see Ray Lamontagne and Brandi Carlile in concert. It was a gorgeous night and we sat outside and tailgated before the show began. For a brief time in my life, many years back, I used to work at this venue and I have a friend who still has contacts there so we had terrific seats. And free parking! We have all seen Ray several times and they had seen Brandi a few times so we knew we were in for a good night. And we were right. It was a blast.

Brandi’s last song was a cover of Alphaville’s “Forever Young”. The song first came out when I was 10 years old. I have always loved it. I think I had it on cassette tape at one point. It’s been ages since I heard it.  Her cover did it justice.

Let us die young or let us live forever

We don't have the power

But we never say never

Sitting in a sandpit,

Life is a short trip

The music's for the sad men

Forever young, I want to be forever young

Do you really want to live forever

Forever -- and ever

I sat in the audience and let the music wash over me. I immediately thought of Allie and how she would be forever young. I will only ever picture her as an infant…never a toddler or a little girl or a teenager or a woman. It made me sad and my eyes stared to well up and then I realized that I would rather have her forever young that not have had her at all.

The next morning, Gary and I left for Memphis. We arrived at 8am on Saturday and I was back in the air by Monday afternoon. Gary flew back Tuesday night. We did not have a lot of time, but we made the most of the time we had. We went to the Civil Rights Museum and learned so much about Martin Luther King, Jr. and where and when he was assassinated. I was ashamed about how much of his story I did not remember from when I learned it in school. We ate Memphis BBQ and southern style fried chicken. We walked Beale Street and shopped for souvenirs. We went to Sun Studios and saw where Elvis and Johnny Cash recorded some of their most famous songs. We toured Graceland and learned all we could ever hope to know about the King. We had a fantastic time.

The concept of “Forever Young” repeated itself again during our trip. At the Civil Rights Museum, there was a quote from a friend of Martin Luther King Jr.’s that said that history will always remember him looking like he did when he was famous. He will never have grey hair or wrinkles or walk with a cane. He will always look like he did when he died.

I find this fascinating. How do you want to be remembered? As you looked in your youth? As you look now? As you will look 20 years from now?

I think I just plain want to be remembered.  For as long as I am remembered, so too, will Allie be.



Just outside the Civil Rights Museum







Elvis's plane - the Lisa Marie



Court Square