The most vivid memories I have of my father are of him singing. His voice was soft and gentle, and would always lull me to sleep as a restless child. He would sing when we would comb beaches for new sea-glass, on our car rides to the local library, and while making pancakes at 6am. My Dad’s voice was warm, and could make any song sound good. He even wrote some of his own music, singing of butterflies leaving and coming back another day, and others about balloons floating far, far away. His absolute favorite song was Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” that incorporated melodies and lyrics from several songs of love. Every time he sang the lyrics, “Well I see trees of green, and red roses too, I’ll watch them bloom for me and you, and I think to myself, what a wonderful world,” I could not have agreed more.
