Wind Beneath My Wings

Oil on board, 8x8, Black floater frame
 
 
This song was extremely popular in 1988.  It was the title song in the movie, Beaches. Gosh, I cried so much when I watched that movie.
 
It was the first time I thought about losing someone important in my life.  It also made me start thinking about who was the wind beneath my wings?
 
I was a senior in high school. A time of freedom and self-discovery. But also, deep fear of leaving home and going to college.
 
My two brothers were my constant role models. It seemed like they effortlessly moved through their lives without a hiccup.
 
I was the youngest. 
 
On Saturday mornings, I was the “practice dummy” and would happily stand in the goal and retrieve soccer balls or return the ball when they were practicing foul shots. I can even remember, they would wrestle on a blanket on the family room floor, and the first one to get pushed off and touch the carpet, lost (I didn’t like that game!)
 
My parents told me when I was very young, I would look for them and ask, “Where da boys.”
 
It seemed like I never missed a little league, basketball, football, or baseball game. We were always piling into the car.
 
We were that family.  Sports was our love language.
 
And at a young age I can remember feeling so proud when I would tell people they were MY brothers.  They were smart, nice, athletic, tall (and my friends ALWAYS told me how cute they were!)
 
We didn’t share our feelings.
 
“Did you ever know that you’re my hero.
And everything I would like to be.”
 
It felt so scary to tell someone how I felt about them.  My eighteen-year-old self couldn’t put those words together. But I always knew they were there.  That invisible safety net to catch me when I fell.
 
“Thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings.”
  
 
Music reference: Wind Beneath My Wings, Bette Midler