On the passing of Prince...

      So, I have not written in this blog for a long time, but I had to start again because so many things have been on my mind!  Prince died 4/21/16 and I am still a little messed up by it.  I began my day 4/22/16 hoping it was all untrue, but no, it was real.   My son had been asking me for weeks to take him fishing so I decided to take him and I am not a fisherman!  In fact, we caught not one fish, but it was fun because he was so excited and happy about it.  So, although the day began a little blah, it ended quite well.  Even as I watch all the tributes and stories about the artist Prince, I’ve made my peace with it all. 
     It’s funny how everything in life is so connected.  Even those seemingly totally unrelated things somehow intersect each other.  My son is 3 years old and I don’t remember much from when I was 3, but I do remember not being able to say “three” and saying “tree.” I also remember singing Prince songs because my mother and aunt loved him and as I grew up I remember wanting to be a singer like Prince and dancing like him.  I immediately grow nostalgic when I fondly remember Purple Rain, 1999, Sign O’ the Times, Under the Cherry Moon, so many albums and songs!  Growing up in Arizona in the early 80's, he was one of the only black singers we had radio access to!  Ironically, my maternal grandmother’s birthday is 4/20 and she lived in AZ until she died and now, Prince dies the next day.  See, the connections!
     Anyway, I kind of fell off listening to and following Prince as I grew older.  My generation wasn’t too big on his music as we got older, but by my teenage years, Prince was already an icon.  Plus, when I got “saved” I moved away from secular music all together just because my “interests” changed.  However, I am still a fan and his music and life have moved me and been part of the soundtrack of my own life and I cannot be sad about Prince being gone for this reason:  He made his mark!  I’m not sure what he set out to do with his life, but I know if it was become a musical genius, he did it.   Although, he died at 57, even if he never released another album or set another fashion trend or made us think “why is Prince so strange, but his music so bomb?!”, he made a undeniable, authentic, and unique mark .  Of course, he had more he could do, but what he did was monumental.  So monumental, that I am up assessing my own life. 
     Have I been going after what I really want in life?  Have I carved my own path, not just the path I think sounds good or what I think others would like.  Have I become the singer I always wanted to be?  I’ve had several careers, experiences, friends—a very full life, but have I been true to myself and set a course that would at least get me close to the desired result of a life well lived.  I can’t answer this fully now, but as I lay beside my son after a day of helping him accomplish his goal of fishing and making a memory for his life motion picture, I say “Thank God!”  I wanted to be a father and do things like this with my son.  And when I go, among many good things I want said about me, I want it to be said that I was one of the best fathers people knew and most importantly, I want my children to say it. 
     So, RIP Prince.  Thanks for your life and music.  We are reminded to shoot for the stars and reach our goals and to enjoy life, the people in our lives, and to make good memories.