Posted by Ed Kiser on May 16, 2005 at 19:11:50 from 152.163.100.6 user Kisered.
In Reply to: Re: Charlotte Church on Marmite posted by Peter H on May 16, 2005 at 10:50:55:
Peter H-
Not intending to turn this into any kind of debate regarding the relative talents and life style of Charlotte Church, but perhaps a bit of clarification is in order.
I did refer to her as "delightful singer" and to me, there is a special meaning. The image I maintain in my mind is that of her singing at age 12-14, and primarily of that first CD album, "Voice of an Angel" which had in it two very special selections: "The Lord's Prayer" and "The 23rd Psalm" as well as other very moving inspirational presentations.
Several years ago, I was undergoing multiple surgeries, one for cancer in the Cecum and the other was a quadruple bypass heart getting my pipes refreshed. It had been a near thing. After that stint in the Emergency Room, during which I have little memory as I was "out" I came to in the Intensive Care, with serious doubt as to whether I would ever see the dawn again. Now that is some tough thoughts. That next morning, I woke up, and saw the light in the window. It is not easy to describe the feeling of seeing that light. That morning, a dear friend brought me a wonderful gift, a battery operated CD portable player, with ear phones so I would not inflict that sound beyond my own ears, and in that CD was the afore mentioned CD. Through the many days I lay there, I had the wonderful gift by me at all times, and any time I wished, her voice came to me and filled me as she prayed with me. That child's voice lifted my soul from the darkest of dispairing fears. It was as if I had a Personal Angel that was always with me, ready to be close whenever I had that need, which was often. Here today, some years later, having survived to go beyond my 70th birthday, and feeling in better health than I have had for a decade, that CD has never come out of that player. It remains within reach beside my bed. Quite often, when I prepare to go to sleep, I call again upon my Personal Angel to pray with me, and lift my soul.
When I say, "Delightful voice of Charlotte Church", perhaps now you can see where I get that feeling.
Of course I realize that a 12 year old girl does not stay 12, but grows up and becomes subject to those wonderous changes that will effect every 12 year old. Charlotte has grown up considerably. She is no longer the child. She has had her loves, and losses, and has felt the high of that love and the depth of that loss. She is trying to become an adult, subject to all the temptations that all of us adults have been faced with at one time or another. The hoard of photographers that dog her steps are sure to show us all those moments when she is at her worst. The pulp rag magazines regale us with the saucy bits of her life as she tries to manage cigarettes, alcohol, and MEN while also managing the wonderful fact that she has grown to become a rather striking beauty. But all that is her personal life, and that has no effect on what I hear, each night when I slip on that earphone, and listen to that Delightful Voice as once again, it lifts my Soul. For that, I am truly grateful. I return, I can only pray for her that she finds her way to be the Proper Way.
My apologies for regailing you all with certain personal aspects of my life, but I have come to regard the membership of the TARBOARD, perhaps in a strange way, as all being my friends with whom I can do a bit of sharing of that very personal part of my feelings.
Whatever else others may feel about that young woman from Wales, to me, that voice will always be My Personal Angel. It can't get much better than that...
Thank you all for hearing me out...
And my thanks to Ransome, for bringing us all together, to share, to learn, and to lift each other. His works continue to teach as his words reach out to us, to hold us all together, in that marvelous bond.
Ed Kiser, South Florida