Then Sings My Soul…

Thirty-six years ago, my two college roommates, a business associate, and I decided to take the Friday preceding my birthday off work and play thirty-six holes of golf.

We enjoyed the respite from work, the opportunity to have a full day of talking during a friend’s backswing, and the general fellowship of hanging out with friends for an entire Friday.

One week later, at an event that I did not attend, my old roommates mentioned to several of our high school classmates that we had taken the day off to play golf.  The classmates mentioned that they wanted to play the next year on my birthday.  Word got back to me, and I realized that the Kevin Medlin Invitational Golf Tournament (KMIGT) had been created.  So, for the next twenty-four years, on the Friday nearest my birthday we would take the day off and play golf.  Soon a post-golf dinner outing was added with wives and significant others.

As time went on, we eventually changed my August birthday to the first week of October so that the one doctor in our group would not feel responsible for giving potential heat stroke victims mouth to mouth resuscitation from attempting to play golf in the August heat.  We shortened the format to eighteen holes to limit the potential income for area orthopedic surgeons.  And we expanded the dinner format to include a wider group of friends (golfers and non-golfers). 

Eleven years ago, just after the twenty-fifth edition of the KMIGT, an autoimmune disorder took a good portion of my balance away.  I could no longer play golf
(many might say that my ‘ability’ was always in question).  Although I can no longer participate, we have continued to celebrate with the KMIGT each year in October.  Then four years ago, the autoimmune disorder completed its course and claimed my ability to hear.  I was now a late deafened adult.

One positive facet of being a late deafened adult is that while I do not hear music, I can remember many tunes and can replay them on my mental jukebox.   One negative facet of being late deafened is that without much auditory input, very often a tune will play semi-nonstop on my jukebox until something pushes it aside. 

When you don’t hear music, it is often difficult to get a tune out of your mind.  For instance, for about the past six months, I have been on a Waltz Across Texas with you in my arms and Ernest Tubb in my head.

And to answer your question, I’m not sure quite why… 

But recently, I attended a funeral service honoring a friend’s mother.  I arrived just before the service started and sat toward the back of the sanctuary.  I was far enough back that I was not able to read the priest’s lips, but I was more or less keeping up with the service by reading the bulletin and following the order of service.  Toward the end of the service, I read that the next hymn was How Great Thou Art.  I smiled thinking of that tune that was sung by my cousins, Tommy, Danny, and Susan at my great grandmother’s funeral.  I was still smiling when the music started and although I could not hear the music, I could feel the vibrations and it took me back to a simpler time…

Oh Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder…

Ernest was out… Elvis was in. 

A few days later, I was visiting with my daughter, Katie, and her cousin, Tina.  I guess my mind wandered because Tina playfully slapped my arm, smiled at me, and sang…’What joy shall fill my heart?’

Apparently the King had been playing on my mental jukebox and I must have been singing along.  We laughed about that, but that line that she sang really stuck with me. 

 ’What joy shall fill my heart?’

Today, ten of my friends ignored the overcast skies, the wet conditions, and happily followed the cart path only regulations so that they might play in the 36^th edition of the KMIGT.  Later, approximately thirty of us gathered at Shaw’s Patio Bar & Grill for a post golf meal.  I looked around the patio at my friends, many of them friends for fifty years or more, and thought of how blessed I am to have such loyal supporters.  When they signed the song ‘Happy Birthday” for me, I knew the answer to that question.

’What joy shall fill my heart?’

I thank God for these friends who have stood by me and for my loving family who watches out for me 24/7.  I am blessed to have friends that support me and a family that loves me. 

Thank you.  And I thank God for each one of you.  I am blessed!

Thanks for listening!

Your friend,

KBM

Kevin Medlin
kevin@mysilentpew.com