I wrote the song posted below in 2002, after my brother, Randy, had been diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. I added the third verse after his death in 2003.
As a child I remember being plagued by nightmares. Not just your average, run-of the mill nightmares, but those remarkably vivid, eyes open, fingernails white, and still peeing your pants horrors I believe they call night terrors these days. Fortunately for me, my brother and my bedrooms had adjoining closets. Most nights found me insisting he sleep with his closet doors open, as I would do, so I could be assured he was “watching me” through the dark. “Are you watching me?’ became the mantra of my childhood evenings – and the inspiration of this song.
Randy’s been gone for 7 years this week, but occasionally, I still sing this song to my children. Though they will not have the privilege of knowing their uncle this side of heaven, I hope they’ll someday see through my eyes, the man I was proud to call brother.
1 comment:
Jen, I remember you singing this to Randy when he was in the nursing home. He loved it!
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