I do, on occasion, listen to the radio when I’m driving (as opposed to silence which often leads to overthinking which rarely ends well . . .). On this particular day I was headed toward I-don’t-remember-where, enjoying some of my favorite 70s songs when the DJ began talking—something I usually dislike because I’d rather hear Gerry Rafferty or Christopher Cross or any number of other performers or groups than whatever they might have to say. But this time, instead of her words encouraging me to zone out until my music returned, she caught my attention, pulling me into a story she was telling by way of a listener’s request.
His name was Adam and on this particular day he was going to be traveling with his family, but before they hit the road, he had emailed his request to the host who would be on the air during that time. Usually, his mother was in the car with him; he was her mode of transportation, which allowed them to spend a good bit of time together. And they always listened to the radio, particularly to her show.
Of course, they had a favorite group . . . and of course they had a favorite song from their favorite group. And on that day, that was the song he was requesting. . . because it was his mother’s birthday. She would have been 82 had she not died in January of this year. Knowing their time together was short, he had spent every available minute with her leading up to her death, and as she moved from this world to the next, he laid his head on the pillow next to hers and quietly sung . . .
“Why do birds suddenly appear
Every time you are near?
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you.
Why do stars fall down from the sky
Every time you walk by?
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you . . .”
That was his request. Their favorite song by their favorite group. That was the song they played for him that day . . . and what more fitting song could there have been?
About the author: Lisa Shackelford Thomas is a fourth-generation member of a family that’s been in funeral service since 1926 and has worked with Shackelford Funeral Directors in Savannah, Tennessee for over 45 years. Any opinions expressed here are hers and hers alone and may or may not reflect the opinions of other Shackelford family members or staff.
