“YOU WERE THERE” (Your childrens’ prayer)

by Desmond Kelly ‘the Star of eLanka’

Yes, already, a year has gone by, since a very special lady was called to her rest in Surrey, Canada.

Someone who was truly loved by everyone who met her, even if,it was for just a while. She was a proud Sri Lankan, very beautiful, an absolutely superb cook, and caring, to a fault. I was proud & priviledged to be once known as “her entertainer”, she loved the same music I did, & always encouraged me to “record” even more songs than I had already done. I did compose the lyrics & music to “Another Dawn” especially for her & I am pretty sure that she loved it.

More than anything else, Dawn was an extra-special “Mum” whose children & grand-children adored her, & so, on the 1st anniversary of her death, all of them, together with many other special friends gathered together to remember her in a special “Service”, after which, her eldest daughter sent me the “beautiful brochure” that was printed for the Service. On the rear “cover” of this brochure, under the title “You were there” I read the “memorable-message” that is relevant to every “Mother” on Earth. Nothing exists without a Mother. This is why they are so very special.

“You were there” was written to co-incide with a song of the same title, prerecorded by a group called “The Southern Sons”, The lyrics were written in non-rhyming verse, by an “author unknown”. They were beautiful lyrics, but, as another “Special-Dedication” to this “Special Lady” I have re-edited the “lyrics” in verse & in cadence (musically phrased as a “Country Song”) This is another one for you, Dawn. Rest easy now & may God bless you, “till we meet again”.

From : “your entertainer” & your entire family & mine.

A MOST BEAUTIFUL MEMORY
((Dedicated to a most beautiful Mum))

“YOU WERE THERE”

WHEN WE TOOK OUR FIRST STEPS,
UNSTEADILY,ACROSS THE LOUNGE FLOOR,
YOU SMILED, AS YOU CHIDED,
ENCOURAGED, & GUIDED,
OUR STEPS, AS WE WALKED OUT,THE DOOR

YOU WONDER, IF WE ARE ALRIGHT,
WHERE ARE THEY NOW, YOU WONDER,
IS THERE ANY-MORE, YOU COULD HAVE DONE,
TO HELP OUT THESE CHILDREN, YOU PONDER
WHERE ARE THEY NOW, WHERE HAVE THEY GONE,
ARE THEY SAFE ON THE “HIGHWAYS OF LIFE”
HAVE YOU LOOKED AFTER THEM, FIRST,
SINCE THE DAY THEY WERE BORN,
EVEN THOUGH YOU’VE HAD YOUR SHARE OF STRIFE”?

“MUM, WHERE WE ARE NOW,
IS JUST WHERE YOU LED US
YOUR “SPECIAL LOVE”, SHOWED US THE WAY,
TO BELIEVE IN OURSELVES & DECISIONS WE MAKE
ON THE CHALLENGES MET, DAY BY DAY
BUT WHEREVER WE GO, YOU CAN ALWAYS BE SURE,
IN SPIRIT,.YOU’LL NOT BE ALONE,
FOR WHERE YOU ARE MUM, IS WHAT MATTERS TO US,
AND OUR RENDEZVOUS WILL BE “AT HOME”.

DESMOND KELLY.