Today would have been Isaac's twenty fourth birthday. I can't find the words to adequately express myself about this at the moment. The weeks leading up to today have been awful at times and the thought that he's dead still has the power to stop me in my tracks and leave me trying to catch my breath. Isaac loved birthdays- cards, cake, presents, going out for tea, all the routines and traditions. I hope in years to come we can celebrate him and the twenty three birthdays that he had with us but right now it just feels like a date filled with massive loss.
Often on his birthday I'd post songs relevant to the age he was turning, so today should have been songs with twenty four in the title or in the lyrics. I thought I may as well go ahead with this. Neither Joy Division's 24 Hours nor Happy Mondays' 24 Hour Party People seemed to strike the right note. I'm not really a fan of Gene Pitney's 24 Hours From Tulsa. Half Man Half Biscuit's Twenty Four Hour Garage People plays on Happy Mondays in the title and lyrically takes in the Rollright Stones, Talk Radio, Pringles, Marmite, scotch eggs, Kit Kats, motoring atlases, Leadbelly, various sandwich fillings and the worker at the all night garage. It is a song which can still, twenty two years after it was released, make me laugh out loud and today of all days that's a big deal.
Twenty Four Hour Garage People
Neil Young's Old Man contains the line 'Old man, look at my life/ Twenty four and there's so much more'. Neil wrote the song after he bought the Broken Arrow ranch with the proceeds of his songwriting success. He was shown round the ranch by Broken Arrow's caretaker Louis Avila. The line is about Louis' incredulity that a young man could buy a $350, 000 ranch in 1971. When asked how he afforded it Neil told Louis, 'just lucky, Louis, just real lucky'. It goes elsewhere, as Neil Young songs often do, musing on the similarities between the old man and the younger man, that their basic needs and desires are the same- 'Old man, take a look at my life/ I'm a lot like you/ I need someone to love me the whole night through'. This version is from the legendary Massey Hall gig in 1971, a solo acoustic show in Toronto in January 1971.
Old Man (Live at Massey Hall 1971)
Happy birthday Isaac. Love you.
15 comments:
Today must be really tough. Thinking of you all.
What Ernie said. Great choice of song too.
Swc
Sending love and hugs.
There's a beautiful scene of a birthday party for a deceased child in this documentary (it starts around the 51 minute mark):
https://speakinggrief.org/documentary
There's a lot of pressure to "move on" -- most of it from people who are uncomfortable with grief -- but some families choose to celebrate. There's a theory called "continuing bonds" which holds that it helps grieving families, and there are many cultures with annual traditions of remembering those who passed (such as Dio de los Muertos).
Free advice is usually worth exactly what you paid for it (especially the unsolicited kind). But if you can see yourselves as a family celebrating Isaac's birthday in years to come, don't let others discourage you from doing something that he would have loved!
Thinking of you all today
That's a wonderful photo of Isaac. Thinking of you all today.
Thanks to you all. Can't say it's been an easy day but we have got through it.
Jonder- thanks fr the documentary and the advice. Both good.
Really can't begin to imagine how hard today must have been but I hope you're all OK.
Sending much love and positive thoughts to you and your family today, Adam. Difficult though it is, thank you so much for sharing thoughts, feelings and memories of your incredible son. It's a privilege to read and I hope the huge outpouring of love for you all offers some comfort at this unimaginably painful time. Isaac is and will always be loved.
Thinking of you all today - it will have been incredibly tough, but you got through it. Love the fact you've continued the annual theme of Isaac's birthday, a fitting tribute.
It seems trite but I can only echo what everyone else has been saying. Stay strong and treasure the memories.
I think you definitely chose the best 24 song, Adam. Take care, fella.
Beautiful photo, great songs. Love and hugs to you all x
Sending love x
Love and support from Minnesota USA. Thank you for everything you write and share here.
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