Songwriting, like many creative experiences, can have it’s time of inactivity which is a nice way of saying, “I haven’t written something in years.” The cause of said drought is hard to pinpoint and it could be just a matter of the well running dry.

I was experiencing that drought between 2005 and 2013. During that Christmas Season, the Sibs decided to choose a name to create a gift from one of our many talents. I chose Katie’s name. I knew immediately what I wanted to do but was feeling a sense of concern that I would try to “write a song” for her that wouldn’t be authentic or personal. So I stewed.

I dislike taking public transportation mostly because I hate crowds. One day we had just one car and Linda needed it for work so I took the Max. While on it I was sitting back with my eyes closed and a friendly old man asked, “Why the smile, friend?” I didn’t know I was smiling. The first thing out of my mouth was, “family.”

“Oh, you have a family?” the stranger asked.

“Yes, a very large family”.

“I have no one”, said the old gentleman. “Tell me about them.”

I spent the remainder of the ride talking with the stranger about Mom and Dad, my sibs, Linda, my children, and Grandchildren. He smiled through it all as if it was his family I spoke of.

When my stop came, I asked him what his name is and he said, “David.”

“That’s my name” I said. He paused and said, “well, that’s the only thing we have in common.”

I thought of that old, lonely man for several days and wondered how anyone could not have family…any family. My heart was very sad for him but it was also alight with a deep and profoundly renewed appreciation of my family.

It took but a couple of days to listen as “Why The Smile” played over and over in my head. Thankfully I was able to record it and send it to Katie in time for Christmas.

Epilogue: ”Why The Smile” was the beginning of a very long creative period which is culminating in this collection so I have Katie to thank for that.

Thank you: My deepest thanks and gratitude goes to Jim for the beautiful piano arrangement he recorded in California and sent to me. His work is the foundation of being able to tell this story in music. Thank you, Jim.