Inspiration

Lula Mahan or Grandma Lu as I fondly called her, was my hero and inspiration. She played the organ in church starting at age 12 in Santa Cruz California. Widowed in 1976, she had a distinguished nursing career from 1943 until her fourth retirement in 2006. She played a huge role in my life not only as a grandmother, but as a teacher, mentor, friend, disciplinarian, role model and more. She often took me to church with her at North Valley Baptist Church where she played the organ. If I misbehaved as a small child, she would pull me up to the organ bench with her in front of the congregation to have me turn the hymnal pages for her. At three years old she sat me down at the piano and started teaching me out of the John Thompson book (one of the most challenging piano method books). She showed me how to read the notes and figure things out and walked away to fix dinner after I had completed the first few pages with her guidance. After an hour and nearly playing through half the book she told me to go outside and play. 

She would take me with her to Beverly Manor where she cared for patients. I was her shadow for ten years, observing her caregiving, sharing the gospel and leading patients to the Lord, handing out New Testament Bibles or playing piano, singing and putting on Minnie Pearl sketches for her patients. She frequently visited her patients on her days off explaining their families rarely visited them, so she was the family they knew and they relied on her. She made a difference in the lives of everyone around her. She inspired me to go into the medical field, insisted I finish college and fueled my passion for music. She was the strongest woman I knew. 

Through her legacy, I was formed and now inspire the next generation of musicians and medical professionals. We are descendants of the Cherokee Wolf Tribe and as the Cherokee prayer ending says, "Always Leave Your Mark".