Truth Or Dare

When I think about the theme of Truth or Dare this month, the truth portion applies to my  parents who were a part of the Harlem Renaissance, spanning the 1920’s and 1930’s. This significant historical African American intellectual cultural movement included music, dance, art, fashion, literature, theater, politics, and scholarship. The music my parents played at home included that of vocalists Nat King Cole, Billy Eckstine, and Frank Sinatra, among many others.

One day when I was three and a half or four years old,  while playing with my toys, they heard me singing along with one of the records. I mirrored the song in its entirety, including pausing with the breaks for the orchestra’s segment. Taken aback, they asked me to sing it again, which I did. Ihe song was, “You’re Just Too Marvelous" by Nat King Cole. Of course, I had no understanding of the message, but happily cruised along with the melody and tempo, much to their delight. Subsequently, whenever family or friends visited, I was asked to sing. As the years passed, my repertoire grew. For me, singing was as natural as breathing.Little did I know that that was the training ground for future invitations to sing at a moment’s notice, anywhere and at any time.

And thus we come to the “Dare” part of this article. Throughout my life, without hesitation, I ventured to honor many song requests – whether it was for weddings or funerals of family and friends, or while serving overseas at official embassy luncheons or dinners. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, funerals are by far the most challenging of all, especially when they are for someone who lives in your heart. It requires both mental and emotional focus to be in sync to effectively and successfully deliver the message of the song and comfort to those who grieve. As a woman of Faith, I have always relied on the Spirit to guide me through. 

When the beloved late Portland City Commissioner, Nick Fish (9/30/58-1/2/20), told his wife, Professor Patricia Schechter, that he wanted me to sing at his Celebration of Life Service and be accompanied by Portland State University Professor Darrell Grant, it took my breath away. My husband, George E. Hocker, Jr., had been his Public Advocate for six and a half years. We were close. To this day, I still feel the effect of that experience and credit God’s grace and mercy that I managed not to fall apart that afternoon.

I believe each person is born with a gift and a particular purpose that enables them to contribute to the world. When you recognize what that is, the elements of both “Truth” and or “Dare” are likely a part of the experience.

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