May 18th, 2003

Today we said goodbye to a saint. Oh, Valerie June Carter Cash would recoil and wave off such a thought. But in all honesty, this was a very special woman. She will be severely missed by not only Johnny Cash and the rest of her remaining family, but by all of us who existed on the peripheral of her life.

Her friends and fans feel the emptiness today. That void is now filled only with the memory of her.

June loved The Oak Ridge Boys.....she always called us ‘her Babies.’

Singing Loving God, Loving Each Other, the wonderful Bill and Gloria Gaither song, while The Man in Black wept and waved to us, is a memory that will last forever.

Much like the memory of a sturdier Johnny Cash sitting on the front row of another funeral years ago while The Oak Ridge Boys sang a Garland Craft song, That’s Just Like Jesus. The used temple that rested in the coffin on that day years ago had belonged to Momma Maybelle Carter, June’s mother.

I can just imagine the reunion in Glory. June, her sisters, and Mother, all playing and singing again for the Angels.

In a perfect world, John R. Cash does NOT say goodbye to June Carter, however as we have all come to learn, this world is not a perfect place. Someday though, we will all witness perfection when the great choir gathers on that Heavenly shore to sing for all Eternity. There will be a lot of old friends in that choir and I plan to be right there among them, singing my heart out.

Loving God Loving Each Other!

This is not the first time that I have said goodbye to a friend on my birthday. Our long time bus driver, Harley Pinkerman, also left us five years ago. Five years........ hard to imagine.

So, ‘Little Joey’ from Philly is now fifty-five years old. How about that!

When the funeral was over, I headed out to my farm. This place has become my refuge over and over again for the last five years. I always feel close to God while I am here in this holler that rests on the Kentucky / Tennessee line.

I took a ride alone on my John Deere Gator just before dusk. I saw a momma turkey protecting her eight little fuzzy babies who were struggling to keep up with her. I saw a beautiful doe seemingly all alone, but I knew she was guarding a newborn fawn, so I went the other way not wanting to disturb or alarm her.

The Goldfinch and the Summer Tanagers were flitting along the fencerows, along with the Chickadees and Eastern Bluebirds. I thought it rather early in the season for them to be here.

I park a while by the creek and listen. The previous storms have provided some strength to its ebb and flow, and the sounds of the rushing waters are very soothing. I stay a while and just listen.

Darkness falls, and as is usual for May, the night is filled with a ka-zillion lightning bugs blinking away as if they were a part of some fantasy movie. I almost expect a Hobbit to pop up and start talking to me.

Back at the cabin, I sit on the front porch and continue to watch and listen to the show. All of the Barn Swallows who share my home are roosting just above me and tolerating my presence. Two by two, one in the nest sitting on her eggs and the other just outside on guard. I counted 14 pairs of Swallows in the eaves and could not help laughing as I realize how many more will be buzzing by my head next month at this time. Come Fall, before they decide to head on off to Capistrano or somewhere, there will be about 160 of them.

I go inside, Mary has made a nice meal and poured me a glass of my favorite Duckhorn Vineyards Cabernet. On ESPN, the Phillies are even beating the Astros. Not bad.

Time to turn in, but first the message light on the phone is blinking. I realize that I have been somewhat out of pocket on this birthday and I see that I have missed several calls…

My sister singing Happy Birthday at the top of her lungs (wonderful)...

My daughter Jen singing it like ELVIS (hysterical)...

My daughter Sabrina and the grandkids singing Happy Birthday to Pop Pop ...... Cha Cha Cha (so sweet)!

And then a call from my friend, Duane Allen.

“Hey man, just wanted to tell you, that was one of the hardest things we ever had to do today, and I was so proud of all my singing partners. I was honored to be an Oak. When Johnny wept during our song, I near lost it and I could tell you did, too. Looks like your birthday got a little lost today and I just wanted you to know how much I love you. Perhaps out there at the farm a few pieces will fall in place that will add up to a Happy Birthday. Goodnight, Yosef...... see you at leaving time!”

“Coming to bed, Hon?” Mary asks.

A few pieces have fallen in place for sure. Goodnight, June Carter Cash. One of your “Babies” is having a very happy birthday!