REMEMBERING NATALIE ROSE JONES...
If you are just joining us, this video is a reference to my BLOG Post of Wednesday, September 23rd.
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This has been an amazing week with so many emotions to consider from the open hearts of my dear friends Brian and Janelle Jones. What they shared with all of us in "The Interview" was priceless in terms of really making us stop and quietly consider how much more positive an impact we can have in the world by simply treating each other better. Brian and Janelle have been a tremendous blessing in my life.
As I was making coffee and breakfast at home yesterday, I remembered Brian and Janelle telling me about their encounter at the third (and last) B.B. King concert they attended with Natalie, and the significance of his hit single, "The Thrill is Gone". I debated with myself about whether or not I might be accentuating a feeling of sadness by posting this video performance. However, I decided that by going ahead and posting the video, it would be the exact opposite. I would be celebrating Natalie's memory and the friendship I have with her parents, Brian and Janelle! With this in mind, I can look at this video and imagine my three friends in the audience as B.B. King performed this song. So, after I thought about it more throughout Saturday afternoon, I concluded that this really was the best way to cap off the week with The Jones' as my Special Guests!
Michael
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My love of writing came in the 4th grade when I was Natalie Rose Jones' age. One of my brothers was drafted into the Vietnam War, and my family and I were going through Hell worrying about him and his safety on a daily basis. I was given a school assignment that wasn't so much a "Pop Quiz" as it was a "Pop Essay". We had 15 minutes to write about any subject in the world. Well, that wasn't too much of a stretch for me--my brother was in Vietnam and he was always on my mind! My essay that I wrote in class was titled "Hot Summer in Vietnam", and I received a Blue Ribbon for it (even if the ribbon was made out of paper mache--I was proud) and mailed a copy of my essay off to my brother n Vietnam. He actually received it and I have been writing ever since--plain and simple.
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I had an interesting thought yesterday afternoon. Natalie is only the second person I have ever written about in my adult life without having had the Honor of meeting her. The other person is a profile piece that will be appearing in a future issue of Airways magazine. But I am getting a little ahead of myself. -
As I was making coffee and breakfast at home yesterday, I remembered Brian and Janelle telling me about their encounter at the third (and last) B.B. King concert they attended with Natalie, and the significance of his hit single, "The Thrill is Gone". I debated with myself about whether or not I might be accentuating a feeling of sadness by posting this video performance. However, I decided that by going ahead and posting the video, it would be the exact opposite. I would be celebrating Natalie's memory and the friendship I have with her parents, Brian and Janelle! With this in mind, I can look at this video and imagine my three friends in the audience as B.B. King performed this song. So, after I thought about it more throughout Saturday afternoon, I concluded that this really was the best way to cap off the week with The Jones' as my Special Guests!
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There are 3 more days left to National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. I promise you that I will make each day count to the best of my ability. Children with cancer deserve a fighting chance. They deserve a voice. I wish each of you a nice Sunday! Michael
posted by Michael Manning @ 12:00 AM
12 comments
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12 Comments:
Beautiful post as always; it was interesting to learn about your first experience in writing stories.
BB King has always been one of my favorite artists and I have even seen him live a couple of times at Walnut Creek in NC.
Hope you are having a lovely Sunday.
:)
Good Morning, Protege: Just woke up to your nice post. That 4th Grade Essay had a small continuity problem that still makes me laugh. In it, I have my brother being paged to board a bus at the Greyhound Bus Station. But then my family and I see him off at the airport. What happened of course was that he took a Delta flight to Fort Jackson, South Carolina then boarded a bus after his plane landed to go off to basic training. But when you are a kid rushing to get all of this stuff written in 15 minutes, well...nothing a good Editor couldn't correct! :D) I still have the original copies of the teachers letter to my parents after the school principal read my Essay and yes, after all these years I am still proud. My brother was one of the lucky guys who made it back home and we are close. We share a love of cars and anything to do with Engineering and Architecture. He's pretty amazing. Have a wonderful day in Scandinavia!
*cranks up the volume on her computer and dances*
Great song!!!
Praying for all of the children fighting cancer, thinking of the families who are standing by their sides, feeling blessed and thankful...
(((hugs)))
Nice post, Michael. I enjoyed reading about your early writing and applaud your efforts at lifting up the horrors of childhood cancer and how we need to care for one another.
Bawstongirl2010: (((Hugs))) for your kind words of support and encouragement. I appreciate it very much. :)
Sage: Thank you for your kind message! Brian and Janelle have inspired such a positive outlook for all of us, despite suffering such a devastating loss in their young lives. They are a reminder to us that we simply must value the qualities others have within them to share with others. That is one way the world will be a brighter place.
We were lucky too, our Marine, Sgt. Tom,came back from Iraq safely and is now in school in San Diego.
But we never know what tomorrow brings,do we Michael?
Green tea: No. But we can greet the new day with favor and that's what I do. lol!
it's easy to have mixed or conflicting feelings. music can touch in so many different ways, and not always on a logical level. when you listen with your feelings, you can't always know which emotion is going to come.
the thrill is gone is almost like an anthem. getting up and dancing helps make it real.
Seraphine: Brian and Janelle do like to dance!
so do i.
so do i.
Seraphine: Wink-Wink ;)
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