Dear Dad,

Through you, I found a love for music. I often hear a song and can instantly recall listening to it with you. Freddie Mercury’s vocals are unmatched in an early 2000s, blue Ford Expedition.

The song that stands out to me the most, however, is one I hear in my head almost daily. This recall is always accompanied by the memory of listening to it with you.

I think it must have been my Junior High years when you first put on Four Non Blondes “What’s Up” and blared it from the loft. I would sing the chorus of this song at the top of my lungs with you. It soon became our nightly ritual. At bedtime, I would stand on the foot of my bed, you would hit ‘play’ and together we would belt out the lyrics.

This is one of my most treasured memories with you. As I said, not a day goes by that I don’t recall this core memory.

When planning my wedding, knowing that I would dance with you to this song was without question. I was so very excited about this. I kept it a secret from you.

When we did finally dance, the song didn’t register for you as it did for me. That’s okay, I’ll carry this memory for the both of us always.

Love, Jenny