Happy In Sonnyland

Sonny sat on the floor in a low lit corner of the bedroom he hugged his trumpet as a young man they had had great times he reminisced of his love for his horn He was unable to play it well now not since his stroke nine years ago had stolen away his embouchure and destroyed his ability to sustain the notes in tune He tried to play his horn but too often the notes sounded like screeches from hell he recalled his glory years in high school where he shone like a star He received two gold medals playing Rafael Mendez’ arrangement of the “Mendelssohn Concerto” he was 17 years old and felt the future was his but he was 80 now and still lugged his old recycled memories, never realizing he and the world would get old too soon Nostalgia, the bane of old folks was Sonny's saving grace As a young man he achieved the goals he set no matter how insignificant they might have seemed And the feeling of those supreme achievements never tarnished those moments of struggle made his life meaningful soon enough the time came to hit the big time but the big time was not so welcoming There are those who come into this world full of aspirations but never get blessed by the hand of God no matter how great their desire, then there are the fortunate ones who are born cupped in God's hands and are given the privilege to reveal the music of the spheres It was Sonny’s 70th birthday when he had his stroke he cursed the abomination that had befallen him though the stroke marred his old age marvelous blessings did happen to him At age 24, Sonny fell in love, married a beautiful Irish woman, had two adorable kids, later to be a pain in his butt but the kids are married and gone now and all's well in Sonny Land Sonny and his wife are still married, going on 60 years one could say theirs was a union made in God's cupped hands. An added piece to this story: Sonny's son had two marriages, one successful one not so and several business ventures but he was lucky, he gloats with pride because as glitchy as his life had been he had become rich "Some guys have all the luck, huh Dad," he said. Sonny replied, "If that be the case, son, so be it, Our longevity has made our love real, but we're happy for you, you have the money but we have real love.