CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS
BRAMBLES (Brief RAMBLES) 1-10 September 1, 2008
SEVENTH HEAVEN THEME MUSIC
CHEERS THEME MUSIC
CONNECTEDNESS
THEME MUSIC FOR THE SIT-COM SEVENTH HEAVEN
When I hear the theme music to the sit-com Seventh Heaven, it makes me ponder:
There’s no greater feeling than love of a family
Where can you go when the world don’t treat you right
The answer is home
That’s the one place you’ll find, Seventh Heaven
As I listen, thoughts of the many persons whom I’ve counseled come to mind. Many of them couldn’t go home. Away is where they escaped. Their “love of a family” sometimes—no, often—taught them that violence (physical, sexual, verbal) is the way love is shown. It’s not the world that treats them wrong—it’s their family, their home. So where do these persons go when the “world don’t treat you right?” Where is their “Seventh Heaven?”
Certainly, it’s not their home.
THEME MUSIC FOR THE SIT-COM CHEERS
The theme music to the sit-com Cheers also makes me ponder:
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name,
And all are glad you cam
You want to go where everybody knows your name
You want to go where troubles are all the same Cheers opening song.
When my husband and I were in Rhode Island in September, Monte and I visited the only local bar in Newport. The bartender was interested in family genealogy, the same family I have researched. While there, I had the feeling that this was a “Cheers” bar (click IS THIS “CHEERS?” to read the story).
The song speaks of connection. We all need to feel connected, and neighborhood bars can serve that purpose for some persons. Monte and I enjoyed our brief visit, although we do not frequent bars. Our connections come from our family, neighborhood and friends. For that, I feel we are fortunate.
Where do you find your connection?
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE “CONNECTED?”
Speaking of connection, there is a family cemetery where all circumstantial evidence indicates one of my ancestors and his wife are buried, although there are no existing records confirming this.
I visited that cemetery on our September journeys to New England, and spoke to a person in charge about my wanting to locate his burial site, since he is a Civil War veteran and should have a military stone and a flag on days when veterans are recognized in that manner. She indicated to me that there is one grave with an unidentified person in it—an unidentified veteran. However, she insisted that it could not be my ancestor because he was “not connected.” In spite of the fact that he was married to the granddaughter of an original settler, he had no connections. In spite of the fact that he died in the community, he had no connection. In spite of the fact that his son, affectionately known as “Captain,” had a boat and transported community members to a beach across the bay, he had no connection. In spite of the fact that he and his brother in law bought and sold property together, and lived closely together, he had no connection. And in spite of the fact that this family connection extended down to their grandchildren—the grandchildren of one played piano at the wedding of the other’s grandchild—there was no connection.
What, then, does it mean to be connected to a community? To a family? To friends, neighbors, workmates? What, then, does it take to be connected enough to be buried in a small, community cemetery? What does it take to be connected?
ADDITIONAL READING:
What is your opinion?