Everything else left him, but the music remained...

Ever have one of those days where you hear a song in the morning and it's with you the rest of the day? I had that happen today. It's a song I was introduced to many years ago, and I didn't appreciate it then. The artist is long gone, and you rarely hear the song these days. When I hear it now, I stop what I'm doing and listen to the music.

Deep within my heart lies a melody...
A song of old San Antone...
Where in dreams I lived with a memory...
Beneath the stars all alone...

Some of you will recognize the lyrics. It's San Antonio Rose. I guess I should have researched it to know for sure, but for my memories it is a Bob Wills song..

Papaw was my Dad's father. He had Alzheimer's and died just before Christmas in 2005. Years before he ever got sick, he played the song for me. Bob Wills was his favorite. Years back, he had played for a dance in Kirbyville, Texas, where my Grandparents lived. Mamaw and Papaw went and danced to Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. It must have been really special because it was one of the last things he remembered

Over the last several years of his life, Papaw lost the memory of many things. He didn't know who we were and he couldn't remember the names of things. What he did remember was the music. I remember going over there, and he put the Bob Wills record on the player and started dancing around the living room to San Antonio Rose. It was one of the few things he found comfort in. When Shelly and I got married in 2001, he was still able to function in public to a certain extent, but crowds and unfamiliar settings really bothered him. I know he was uncomfortable at our reception. One of the first songs after our first dance, we had the DJ play San Antonio Rose. Papaw grabbed Mamaw and they danced. He didn't know much about what was going on, but for a few minutes, I imagine he was transported back in time to a familiar.

After his funeral, we joked that instead of the usual funeral songs, we should have played San Antonio Rose as a fitting send off. He would have liked that.

As far as I know, the only things he remembered were the woman he had loved for more than 60 years and the music. He never forgot them.