casimir pulaski day

Today is Casimir Pulaski Day. Why does anyone outside of Illinoise care?

because of this song:

This is one of the few songs that I can tell you exactly where I was and what I was doing the first time I heard it. Would you care to know? Okay, I'll tell you. 

TMA 102 with Tom Russell aka Intro to Film, a class taught in a huge theater. I told my friend Tyler what a great class it was and so he decided to come with me that day. My section always sat in the back middle. The topic for the day was Religion and Film. It changed my life. We watched a scene from Signs. Tom played this song and talked about our relationship with God. How sometimes he does take and take and take. Tom talked about his wife who also died from cancer. At some point during the song I got all teary eyed and Tyler did that thing he would always do--like a hug/face grab with my hair ending up all in his face. We just sat there in awe, a million new realizations going through my head, all because of one song. I love music for its ability to do that. Then we went and got Jamba Juice.

It was one of those moments, and there have been many, where I felt the pull towards film making. Not like, "this is fun" but like, "I don't know why, but this must be a part of my life." After that there is no going back. Like, maybe, just maybe, I might have something worth saying/creating/telling.

A few years ago with the never-ending inspiration that flows when E. and I are together we celebrated this holiday/song the best way we knew how...song shot.

One thing I learned recently, especially on my mission, is that he does take and take, but He gives it all back and then some. Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven. 


Today I've listened to the song no less than five times, did spend the morning crying in the bathroom, but that's not a story worth telling. We'll see what other kind of things I can dig up to celebrate.

Maybe, a revolution to celebrate the man who the day is named for. I did just write one of my classic, political I'm Mad About Something and Going to Sing About it to a Song That's Already Written.