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Jesus Loves Me/Clair de Lune. If Granna had known what the GOAT meant, this would have for sure gone on her list. It combined two of her most beloveds. The classical piece by Debussy and the simple, first hymn that should be on the lips of any child blessed enough to be born to a Southern Baptist mama. 

Mom always loved Clair de Lune and I can remember hearing her playing it on our piano. I also remember her mind being blown the first time she heard this medley. It was two pieces of her childhood seamlessly stitched together into something that brought her utter joy. 

There are several cultures that have myths surrounding a thread or string that connects things together. For me, this is one of those threads. As I said, I remember hearing both tunes in my childhood home. If you've ever seen the 2001 Ocean's Eleven, the closing scene is Ocean's eleven men staring at the fountain outside the MGM. As they slowly disperse,  this classical piece swells in the background. It MAKES the scene. Mom's favorite genres of movies fall into the caper and mystery departments. When she was with Miller, it was mysteries. Agatha Christie, Murder She Wrote, etc. But if she was with Wilson- it was a caper. And their favorite was Ocean's Eleven. The week that mom passed away, Greta and I were in the middle of a Debussy unit in our composer studies in kindergarten. So, I had been reminded quite recently of this beloved song.  And not too long after she passed away, one of her childhood friends reached out to me to share a few memories. One of those was that Mom had introduced her to Clair de Lune at a recital. 

So, this has become such a beautiful little golden thread throughout her life and now her memory. One that will always bring a smile to my face and reminder to my heart that, "Jesus loves me, this I know."

Photo: Mom at a piano recital, 1964