You are my sunshine

At the gym today, I heard a song that stopped me in my tracks.  It wasn't this exact song, but it was enough to cause a rush of memories start flooding back.  I am very fortunate because I remember every detail about every memory, starting at a really young age.  Because of this "talent," my family counts on me to be the family story teller.

This memory is somewhat blurry though, with only some of the details particularly vivid, so I assume I was very young.  Often when my dad would come up to tuck me in I would ask for a story or a song.  Sometimes he would make up and tell the amazing adventures of Tarzan, or the prince and the princess - and both stories always managed to include giant crocodiles!  If I got a song, it was my song:

You are my sunshine,
My only sunshine.
You make me happy
When skies are grey.
You'll never know dear
How much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away.

One day we were in the parking lot outside of Oxford Creamery, just my dad and me.  I can point out the exact spot in the back left, facing the trees, and we were both finishing out ice cream in the front seat.  It was a real treat to eat ice cream in the car, especially in the front seat.  I don't remember what car we were in, but I do remember that the sun was starting to set, just above the trees.  I wasn't ready to go home, so I asked my dad to teach me the sunshine song.  He sang one line, and I repeated it back, until I could sing the whole song back to him.  Whenever I think of that song, I think of him.

In a time when I was feeling low, thank you dad for giving me this bit of sunshine and to remind me what's important.