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LOVE OF MUSIC Grandchildren of Darlene Herring
Throughout my life, I’ve been SEWING LESSONS “The first thing to remember is, when
blessed to have music around me, you stick the needle up through the
making my days more pleasant “Ouch!” My grandson yelped as the buttonhole, be sure your finger is out of
and providing background needle pricked his finger. Sitting at the way.”
accompaniment in my mind. I’ve my kitchen table, I was teaching my
been able to see that music, as other grandkids how to sew on a button. Needless to say, my 11-year-old grandson’s
outlets for creative expression, is an finger was over the buttonhole as his
absolute essential to life. I recalled being ten years old again, needle came charging up. I chuckled a
hearing my mother’s voice. She was little and then watched as my 10-year-
The gift of music swirls around an excellent seamstress, making all old granddaughter slid her needle
us, helping us to sense the beauty my clothes with an old Singer sewing effortlessly through the hole of her button
in our lives - even little mundane machine and her nimble fingers. and with great pride beamed, “Like this,
things. So I’ve always modeled an Grammy?”
appreciation of music to my children By the time I was 13, I could make my
and now my grandchildren. own skirts and blouses with her walking The 12-year-old grandson was making
me through the process. If my patience note of what the other two did – right and
Before they absorb the idea of being grew thin, she would take over and do wrong. Gingerly, he found the hole to put
self-conscious, most all children it “this one time.” his needle through and watched as the
naturally dance, letting their point came shining through.
bodies move and sway to rhythms Now, as the grandmother to three
they hear. They’re not afraid to precious grandkids, I decided it was time As I watched my grandchildren master
sing when they’re tiny tots. With to pass along that knowledge. I dug out a skill that is long forgotten by many
confidence, they tell their loved ones an old jar that I had filled with my mom’s adults, I saw a look of pride cross their
the admittedly amateurish songs collection of buttons many years ago. I faces. They had completed a task with
they make up. found material, needles and thread, and patience and perfection.
we gathered around the kitchen table for
True, they don’t have trained voices lesson number one. Darlene Herring
or understand anything about
music scales, intervals of harmony THE BASICS OF LIFE
or much else about music theory, I taught my “grandies” how to stay, sit,
but their ears feel the music and heel, trail, watch for traffic, roll over,
they simply echo back what they high-five and shake - not to mention
feel. doing their business outside.
Bill Dalton
As the ‘music grandma’ of my
eight grandchildren, I encourage Biggie, “grandie” of Bill Dalton
the musical expressions they
present as gifts to those they
love. Abandoning elderly dignity
and self-consciousness, I dance
with them, sing with them and
applaud their fledgling skills on
instruments—whether those are
kitchen pots and pans or their
parents’ stringed instruments.
When family gatherings occur, it
is natural to enjoy and encourage
the grandkids as they sing, dance,
play a musical instrument or show
us the ‘notes’ scribbled on paper that
simulate music they’ve seen their
elders use.
I recommend without exception that
grandparents watch for and reward
all evidences of kids’ creativity.
Elena Corey Pate
ONLINE: SCTEXAS.ORG S ESEPPTTEEMMBBEERR 22001166 SSUNRAYS | 37
