Tag Archives: loss of a father

I NEED TO SET YOU FREE

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Judy

So often my father had wept to me about how he looked forward to seeing Jason in heaven. With that thought, I began coaching him. Firmly and gently I said, “Dad, please do this. You can leave the prison of your body. You are not alone. Jason is waiting for you. You can give me a sign and a beautiful gift if you would just let yourself go. I watched as his breathing slowed; I held my breath. But he continued rattling. Over and over, I continued to beg him to go. I wished I could put a pillow over his face. Why was it like this? Why couldn’t he have died in his sleep on Monday morning? I left him with my heart pounding in that funny rhythm. I knew my heart would be calm when his stopped. Of that I was certain. Continue reading →

Tagged "sandwich generation", acoustic guitar, Aging Parents, Caregiving, composing, dad's death, death, death of my dad, dementia, father's death, grief, GRIEF RELATED, guitar, Hypnotherapy, I long for you to hold me, I need to set you free, inspiration, Judy Unger, loss, loss of a father, loss of a parent, lovesong, lyric development, lyric writing, lyrics, mother's illness, Music, original songs, performing, Set you free, setting free, singing, songwriting, You're hanging on | 8 Comments

I KNEW I’D BE OKAY – PART 1

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Judy

I know there are many parallels between my children and my parents at this time in my life. I’m still definitely part of the “sandwich generation.” But lately, I’ve realized there are some differences. One of those differences came to the forefront last week, and filled me with sadness. I was sad because my children are spreading wings to fly, whereas my elderly father is fluttering slowly down to the ground. Continue reading →

Tagged "sandwich generation", acoustic guitar, Aging Parents, Caregiving, catheter, composing, creativity, dementia, father's deterioration, father's illness, father's independence, father's love, feeling blessed, Friendship, GRIEF RELATED, hip fracture no surgery, inspiration, inspired, loss, loss of a father, lovesong, lyric development, lyric writing, lyrics, memories of my father, mother, mother daughter relationship, mother's illness, Music, my father, no hospitalization order, no surgery, Ordinary Life, original songs, singing, songwriting, voice lessons, writing | 1 Comment

I KNOW YOU’D TELL ME

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Judy

I called my dad in the afternoon and he sounded terrible, but he said I had woken him up and that was why. When his nurse called me around dinnertime she told me what I expected; he needed to go immediately to the hospital. She said he was close to death. Continue reading →

Tagged "sandwich generation", Aging Parents, Caregiving, creativity, dementia, father's illness, grief, guitar, inspiration, loss, loss of a father, loss of parents, lovesong, lyric development, lyric writing, More Than You Know, mother, mother daughter relationship, mother's illness, Ordinary Life, original songs, parental love, performing, singing, songwriting, writing, you can never lose my love | 1 Comment

I ALWAYS KNEW THAT I HAD YOU

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Judy

I had focused so much on losing my mother incrementally to her dementia. Now I had my father to think about. The aching feeling in my heart spread like tentacles throughout my body. I wasn’t sure what the ache was about. I thought about what I would write.
Then I heard music playing and realized that the words I was searching for had already been written. I decided that my recent song “You Were There,” applied to my father as well.
Continue reading →