I have often talked about my beloved fraternity or mentioned it here and there in my posts. It took me 4 years of University to decide to pledge a fraternity. I always had the mind set of “Why would I want to pay (dues) for friendship? If I just wanted to get drunk and have fun, I can do that without all the meetings and pledge dues, etc.” An acquaintance pressed me to attend a few functions and get a true picture of what the fraternity was really about and so I did… and my life changed forever.

I won’t go through all the details of the transformation that I went through. I can say that the brotherhood of men that I came to know saved my life. The acquaintance? He became my big brother, and I really came to know so many people who saw music the same way that I did. I used to think I was alone in my views of the divine in music and the passion and emotional connections, but I was wrong.

I found it ironic that one of my closest brothers in my sacred fraternity came to betray me. It was a hard time in my life to see such a close friend whom I loved dearly betray my trust and use it against me to bring a wedge between my wife and myself. There was a time when I hated him and would have probably come close to killing him with my bare hands… but that is the beauty of life: one path leads to another. I have forgiven and moved on to a much, much better life…

I’m sure if you asked him or my ex wife how I feel about it all they’d tell you I was bitter or hard, but it’s actually quite the opposite! I’d thank them and probably hug them for the journey they set me on that made me a better person, and for setting me free from that relationship!

The path of brotherhood led to betrayal which then led to fear… and finally to love and forgiveness. I still have such a love of my fraternity and my brothers: for the ideals in music that we stand for, and the society that we want to change through the gifts of music. My paths, my journeys may still wind through the world, but I will always have this necklace and this fraternity to guide my path.

Tags:   Personal Relic Sentimental Story Nostalgia Memory Phi Mu Alpha Fraternity SINFONIA Necklace Bortherhood Jewelry Beads Red Black Gold Path Journey Forgiveness Love Fear Betrayal

© All Rights Reserved

See album description - I was six years old when I opened my first bank account. It was only a Savings account, and it was opened at a bank that is no longer in existence. I didn’t really understand the concept of the bank- I literally thought that when you deposited money that they kept the exact same money that you gave them and you gave it to them to keep it safe.

My great grandmother sent me a Bicentennial Silver Dollar for my birthday that year and my mother told me to make sure that I kept a hold of that. What better place to put that than the bank, right?

I remember going to the bank with my mother one day and when she walked in I told her that I needed to do a deposit as well. She looked at me and when I showed her the coin she had to explain the concept of a bank to me. That was the first real lesson that I was taught about money, and sadly one of the last ones that they taught me. The rest I had to learn on my own- but the best learned lessons are often the hardest lessons learned.

I still have the coin that my Great-grandmother gave to me. I cherish it for the memory of her, and I cherish it for the memory of how simple life is from a child’s perspective- the world just slowly complicates life with details and rules that can’t be ignored… but shouldn’t always be focused on either!

Tags:   Personal Relic Sentimental Story Nostalgia Memory Bicentennial Dollar Silver Dollar Liberty Bell Great Grandmother Finance E Pluribus Unum Coin Currency

© All Rights Reserved

See album description- This was a Christmas present from my daughter Chelsea in 2004. This was a very, very difficult year for me, and when I opened this gift I was just blown away that she made this. I have gotten so many hours of use out of this, and I have written countless pages by the colored light that comes out. So many times I would pause to let the blood move back into my hand and just stare at the reflecting colors. I will go into a small trance-like state and remember that Christmas, remember the gift that she gave out of love, and the many-many lessons that I learned about life, love, and what really matters.

Tags:   Personal Relics Chelsea Stained Glass Candle Holder Present Sentimental Personal Story

© All Rights Reserved

See album description - I know and recognize that I keep the strangest things. I am sure some people would look at this album and see that in a heartbeat. I make no apologies for my strangeness.

This bracelet was given to me by someone who meant the world to me, in a time in my life when I didn’t know how to express my feelings. How do you express how much you care about someone when you feel hurt and just want to crawl into a hole every day? I was afraid of a lot of things that I no longer fear, and as much as I may be much more fearless these days I live with the regrets of days when I was not so fearless.

This was bought for me when she was on a Caribbean vacation I believe. I have kept it because it reminds me of the girl, it goes with a lot of the things I wear, and because it reminds me that when we don’t have the courage to say the things we feel- we’re guaranteed to live with the regret of never knowing what might have been.

Tags:   Personal Relic Sentimental Story Nostalgia Bracelet Wood Beads Brown Black Tan

© All Rights Reserved

See album description- My grandmother on my mother’s side passed away in June of 2001- a few months before 9/11 and just at a point in my life when I was starting to get my life back on track. She went in one day with a head ache, and 8 weeks later I was delivering her eulogy.

It seems rather ironic that this relic was next in line, as news came that my Grandmother in law is in the acute end renal stage and her Kidneys are failing. Because of her age and health condition, she cannot go through a kidney transplant nor even take dialysis. If her kidneys fail, I won't be able to see her at Christmas...

I almost didn't "say goodbye" to my own grandmother. When we had the viewing I walked in the room and immediately sat down in a chair at the back of the room. I would not approach her casket and I would not even look at it. It took about 2 hours to go up and say my goodbyes. I almost didn't give her eulogy, but in the last moment I knew that I would regret it if I didn't.

I remember the last moments with Grandma, where I took this guitar pick and cut it in half. I remember placing one half in her casket and leaning over her body, whispering to her as if somehow she was listening telling her "I promise I will live to be who I was meant to be..."

I always felt the draw of music on my life, which comes from my mom's side. My mom showed me where middle "C" was on the piano and I did the rest. I learned how to play guitar by picking it up. The musical side in me came from my mother's side. Whenever I see the pick I remember saying goodbye. I still get tears when I think about how my life changed when she passed away- how I wish she was still here to see the different things I have overcome. When I lost my sister it gave me comfort that they were together in Heaven… drinking margaritas and toying with their cats. Whenever I see the pick I remember the promise I made. Promises never really end or expire. We're never too old to begin new beginnings... and I have every intention of holding up to every one of those promises that I whispered to her.

Tags:   Personal Relics Carvin Guitar Pick Casket Burial Personal Story

© All Rights Reserved