1st September, 2024

Changing Tides

Here it is, the end of August. The summer is almost gone and with it, so many memories. So much has happened in such a short time; it feels like the currents of my life are swirling, circling in a tidepool, waiting for the tide to change.

I know that life is constantly changing. It is a fact, and honestly, I would be a fool to try to fight it. I actually consider myself fairly good at change; I spent my childhood being uprooted and moved from place to place. I learned to adapt at a very young age. Nevertheless, some changes are more turbulent than others and maybe, just maybe, change gets more challenging with age. Although, I’m not sure why.

The birth of my grandson has created a strong pull south. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to fly down to Charleston often these past few months and have spent five weeks out of his first three months with him. Watching him grow and change is a blessing, but watching my daughter become a mother – that has been amazing. I see such beautiful changes in her personality as she has blossomed with love and the responsibility of being a parent. And now that she is a parent too, I sense a shift in our relationship; she is one step closer to understanding the joys and struggles I endured while raising her and her brother.

And then there is the book! My first book! After eight years, Journey to the Inner Light, The Life and Musical Voyage of Jay Chattaway, Star Trek, Jazz, and Film Composer sits on the shelves of Edgartown Books. You can find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and so many other places where they sell books. You can even find it in the Vineyard Haven Library. Wow. If I do say so myself, that is quite an accomplishment, and I am very proud of it. What I have found challenging, among other things, is what felt like “going back to work.” I have been retired for so long that I’ve been used to a leisurely pace in my daily life. I was unprepared (though grateful) for the steady stream of activities that would come my way.

Promoting Journey to the Inner Light produced a whirlwind of events. We were fortunate to be invited to The Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, where we gave a presentation titled “Where Does the Music Come From?” in honor of my book launch. Edgartown Books was on hand and selling copies while Jay and I autographed copies. It was a wonderful celebration.

Then, we went to the Carnegie, where we gave a slightly different talk, pointing out Jay’s record-producing career rather than his film-scoring background. The following day, we were on the porch of Edgartown Books, greeting tourists and signing books again.

We continued our book tour in August by flying to Las Vegas to attend Creation’s Star Trek Live event at the Rio Hotel. Thousands of fans attend every year in the first week of August. Jay and I were both interviewed for the 60^th ST Anniversary documentary. Jay participated on a composer’s panel. I was interviewed on stage about my years working on Star Trek. I also introduced the book, which led the audience to the booth where we were selling Journey to the Inner Light. The finale came Saturday night when Jay conducted his most famous Star Trek composition, The Orchestral Suite from The Inner Light with the Nevada Pops. That was the highlight of the trip.

While close to California, we took advantage of the opportunity to visit my son, Alex, and his girlfriend, Lilly. We four spent a quiet few days together on the beach in Oxnard – a great visit and a welcome respite.

Last week, we were invited to the Vineyard Haven Library, where we did an abridged version of “Where Does the Music Come From?” It was a small, intimate group where we welcomed old friends and met new friends.

In fact, publishing the book has introduced us to many new friends. At the same time, many of our old friends are preparing to move off island, which makes me sad. Living on Martha’s Vineyard is unique in that many residents, like us, stay here only in the summer, which makes it difficult to find community. We cherish those we have become close to and will miss them as their lives take them to new places and adventures.

We are sailors, so what happened to our summer of sailing? A book tour, a baby, and weather. Many of the days we were free just weren’t conducive to sailing. We have gotten a few days in and hope to get in a few more before the season ends.

So, what’s next for us? The book tour – such as it was – is over for now. That doesn’t mean we stop promoting it. That will be a new constant in our lives. And somewhat challenging, I presume. Meanwhile, I have presented myself with another challenge: writing a novel. I know little about writing a novel and have much to learn. But that is the fun of it. Learning new things. Plus, I get to make up stuff! I get to use my imagination in new and interesting ways.

And then there is family. There is a strong pull to be present for our growing family. At the same time, we love our home on Martha’s Vineyard. We love spending winters in Mexico, sailing. We still have our own interests. We still want to do some of the things we didn’t have time do while working and raising a family. And yet…

This is the grandparents’ dilemma.

Fortunately, we have the means to visit often, and we still plan on spending our winters in Mexico, sailing Cadenza. How long any of this will last is a mystery but both Jay and I can’t help but feel the undercurrent pulling us in all directions.

There are subtle hints of fall this week—another nod to change. The air is slightly cooler, the sun is lower in the sky, and the summer tourists are leaving. I look forward to the future, but for now, I must be. This is life, the ebb and flow of tides, ever-changing.

I am reminded of a poem I once wrote. This is an excerpt from “Snapshot.”

 

How to capture a moment in mind

of mine? One might propose to ask.

A dream existence. Flash!

And hold it to be true. Only

time keeps floating by.

The secret must lie in drifting and watching things just

go. Should I become the river,

heaven will fill the sea.

Laughing and teasing, playing

hide and go seek with the sun.