I can vividly recall Mama singing to me, "Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle," during my earlier years of life. Then she'd break out with her homemade version with that Southern twist in her voice, "Dang dang dilly, you look so silly," as I would look out my bedroom window at a star-filled sky and a full moon, waiting for the cow to jump over it.
I'd begin to giggle, burst out into laughter, yawn, and fall asleep. At the rise of the sun, I'd wake up to the smell of scrambled eggs, cinnamon toast, and hot chocolate. Skipping off to school, I couldn't wait to share the songs and stories Mama told me.
Mom would feed the birds flying above and the animals below, help at the school as a teacher's aid, send money to feed the children, go to the hospital, visit the little ones, send donations to St. Jude's - all these were a great part of my learning experience, along PBS.
In my thirty-plus years of serving communities of health care, homeless shelters, and social service, my greatest joy comes from sharing my homemade songs and stories with the little one in the homeless shelters.
Now I continue to share my stories through tutoring in the Oasis Program for the Public Schools. For me, the true meaning of living well is not material things, but in the sounds of laughter coming from a child. I would like to give back to the programs my mom supported.
My motive is to encourage and move children to read to their highest potential, help them believe that they can achieve their dreams and that the impossible is possible through consistency, perseverance, focus, staying in school, and never giving up.
For access to cover music and British narrative of Areoke in Search of Blueberry syrup please visit: wyngiggles.com
