Me, my Dad and Cat Stevens.

Have you ever thought that life would be so much better with a soundtrack ? In a way my life has always had one, thanks to my Dad. I cannot remember a time without music surrounding me. We were exposed to every type, he loved them all. A small fortune was spent on hundreds of record albums, cassettes and reel to reel tapes.

The artist that my Dad turned to the most was Cat Stevens. The sounds of his music echo in my head whenever I think of my childhood, To be honest, especially as a snotty teenager, I complained about it. "Seriously Dad, can we play something else"!!! He would cave in for an hour or so and then back to Cat.

I remember sitting with him one night, and he asked me if I ever really listened to the words of the songs. There were important messages, images and inspiring words if you pay attention. So for the first time I really listened and I read the words to the songs off of the album sleeves. Songs of compassion, love and peace.

Looking back at it now I realize he found comfort in the music. During dark times it lifted him up and made good times even better. The pride he had when his oldest grandchild, my son, became a musician was beyond words. In his final years, suffering from dementia and heart disease he still followed my son's band on his computer, printing and saving every article and picture. When I called to tell him that "Peace Train" was added as one of their cover songs it meant the world to him.

It has been 10 years since he passed away, but I smile when I listen to "our" Cat, knowing dad is up there somewhere, "Leapin and hoppin' on a moonshadow".