Here Comes The Sun

As some of you can probably tell, I'm sort of playing catch-up with this blog. I've been busy and to be honest, some of my running is pretty mundane, so I don't always feel it's necessary to bore you with the details of every step I take. (only sometimes!)

But this blog wasn't designed to be entirely about the marathon training process. The main reason I'm running the Boston Marathon is because of my mom. As most of you know, I lost my mom to lung cancer about a year and a half ago and I am determined to do something about this terrible disease.

As my friends and family have probably noticed, I haven't been terribly aggressive about my fundraising for Dana Farber. I've sent out one email, that's it. Well, that's about to change. I'll be writing letters and sending a second email out this weekend. Part of the reason I haven't been fundraising my butt off is that I know I've got amazing friends and family who will step up to the plate and support me. I feel so lucky and so grateful for that. And can't wait to see those donations pour in!
;)

But, back to the title of this blog. I wanted to share one of those "mystical" moments that happens occasionally where I'm reminded of my mother completely out of the blue. It has nothing to do with running, but it's related to the reason I'm running at all, so I thought I'd share it.

When my Aunt Karen and I were putting together the tribute video for my mom's funeral, along with Bob Deschene from Raytheon (who actually did all of the manual work), it was a crazy, frenzied couple of hours during a busy, hectic time. I had never planned the soundtrack to my mother's life up til then, and had a pretty short time to do it.

We ended up choosing the song "Here Comes The Sun" as the first song. It's the one that plays during her baby pictures and pictures of her early childhood. I've always thought it was the perfect song to start with and now, whenever I hear it, I immediately think of those smiling baby pictures that capture the essence of her spirit.

Just a minute ago, while researching something for work, I realized that the song choice was more perfect than I could have imagined. When we chose it, I thought mostly of the Beatles' version, which, for reasons I'll explain shortly, does have meaning for Mom (and many other baby boomers!) But I didn't realize there was another version that was also immensely popular.

While researching songs for a quiz I'm writing for work about One Hit Wonders, I learned that Richie Havens did a version in 1971 that went to the top of the charts as well. Richie Havens has a special meaning for my mom.

As many of her friends and family know, Mom went to Woodstock. This is something that I've always thought would win her serious "cool" points with her grandchildren. It won her a few with me. Anyway, she didn't go to see Jimi Hendrix or Janice Joplin or any of the other headliners often associated with Woodstock. She went to see Richie Havens.

She didn't know that Woodstock was going to be "Woodstock." She heard about this great music festival in NY where Richie Havens was playing and was determined that she and her friend Patty had to go. They packed suitcases (yes, suitcases) and bummed a ride with two guy friends, but once they got there, they had to park miles and miles away. So they walked, with their suitcases (and tent.) The story goes on from there (the suitcases and tent were later abandoned) but she arrived in time to see her idol, Richie Havens, and to her, that was worth the price of admission. Little did she know that her love of that singer would help her become part of history.

Interestingly, Mom had a "connection" with the Beatles as well. She was most definitely a fan and named me after John Lennon's mother, Julia, who (unbeknownst to her) died on July 15th, the same day that I was born (but 16 years earlier). And my mother died on December 8th, the same day that John Lennon died, but 27 years after he was shot outside his apartment.

So I just had a major "Mom" moment and wanted to share it. That song has even more meaning to me now. Wish I could put a little music file in here. I can hear it now: "Doo doo doo doo. Here comes the sun..."

Til next time....
Love,
Julia