Slice of Life Challenge - Day 24 - Uncle Joe

In case this is your first time reading my slices, here is my focus for the challenge: my fifth graders and I are participating in the Slice of Life Challenge this month, and they're writing memoirs.  I thought I'd do the same kind of writing - memory writing - throughout the challenge. I'm going to be writing around photographs and memorabilia.

     When I was little, I adored my Uncle Joe.  He is my father's younger brother.  I thought he was so handsome and cool.  I wish I had a picture of him holding his guitar because that's how I remember him and partly why I was so enamored with him.  He would sing all kinds of songs, but the one I remember most was "They Call the Wind Mariah."

 He was always so kind and sweet to me.  I didn't see him often, but when I did, he would take extra time to talk with me and play the guitar because he knew I loved to hear him sing.  He even gave me a guitar one year, and I tried my hardest to learn how to play.  My cousin, Chad, played, too, and he tried to teach me some basics, but unfortunately, it never clicked.  I played some piano, too, at which I experienced a little more success, but music was just not a natural talent for me.  I lament that because I admire musical abilities in other people.  My daughters have heard me say that when I get to heaven, I hope I can be a backup singer. ;-)  Anyway, Uncle Joe could sing and play the guitar, which I loved.  I was a folk music fan, and he knew them all.  One of the best memories of my wedding weekend was that Uncle Joe sat on our front porch with his guitar and sang for hours.  It was after our rehearsal dinner, and friends and family came over to hang out.  I'll always think of my Uncle Joe fondly.  I don't get to see him anymore because of a multitude of reasons, but when he was a part of my life, I felt lucky he was my uncle!