Project to Document Patrick's Legacy
Early on in Patrick's illness, I asked him if he would mind if someday I wrote a book about his life. He said he had not, for one reason or another, done even half the things he had wanted to do, and intimated he did not think his life important enough to write about. I disagreed with his opinion, and told him he was way too humble, an admirable trait though it was. He laughed and kind of shrugged off the idea, saying he was quite sure it was not his time to die, and he felt quite confident he would beat this illness and survive his cancer.
Everyone with whom I have been in contact since Patrick died on 28 November 2010 has expressed great love and gratitude for the gift of their relationship with Patrick. I am learning, what I suspected before, that he has had a profoundly positive affect on all who knew him.
So, I decided that a website in his honor would be appropriate. I created such a website, dedicated to Patrick's LEGACY, which is a space to publish individual stories about Patrick, his life, and his relatives. Here is a link to that website: PLJ Legacy
Please do visit this site and contribute stories you have, or, leave your comments about stories contributed by others. There is a "comment tool" at the end of each story, and instructions, should you need them, are at a link near the top of the homepage at that website.
I also have hopes of writing a book about Patrick's life, but to do so I will need some help. I would very much like to hear from anyone interested in sharing anecdotes, facts, stories, or anything at all about when they knew Patrick, or what he was like during his youth and young adulthood.
I have no idea how long it will take, or even if I will be successful at obtaining enough material to complete the book I have in mind. A huge part of writing a book is the initial research. In the case of a biography, the research most often comes from interviews of those who knew the subject. So, as many people as possible, who are willing, I would like to interview face-to-face or via phone. Of course, I am available to do phone interviews at any time, and arrangement must be made for in-person interviews. I will be on the East Coast from time to time, so please get in touch with me if you are willing to be interviewed in person, so we can schedule a good time for you.
Also, please contact any of his old friends that may have moved away, and let them know about my writing project about Patrick's life. Feel free to give out my website address, my email address, and my cell phone number, to make it easy for people to contact me. If anyone who reads this is a writer themselves, please feel free to write the stories you know about Patrick's life (and, even if you are not a "writer" and want to write me about when you knew Patrick "back in the day" I would welcome any contributions you wish to make.
Wishing you "Peace, Love, & Barbecue" (name of a blues album Patrick loved by Marcia Ball)
Martha Bryson Jones
marthab1955@me.com (now my PRIMARY eMail)
cell: (512) 767-0613
PS: you may leave comments on my posts, but my link is still malfunctioning which allows you to subscribe to my blog--hopefully, I will get that fixed soon.
2 comments:
This is a beautiful way of remembering such a great man. I often think of him when listening to music or eating the kind of food he liked. It makes me sad, but it also makes me happy to know I have those memories to be able to look back on, forever and ever.
Dear Daughter: It is so kind of you to write this. It seemed like such a good idea to set up the blogsite for others to contribute their stories about him, but sadly no one has. So I guess I will just start posting all the stories I have about him, and MAYBE someone else will be inspired to write their own stories. He was in my life a very brief 10 years, and we were only physically together 5 years (two-and-a half in Baltimore and the other half here in Austin,) but we made the most of the time we had together. More than anything else, being able to hear live music on a regular basis during his short time living in Austin, pleased him the most. And, I think I will start by writing all the stories about him going to hear live music. Your comment has inspired ME to get back to this project I do so hope in the end will be a fitting token of his legacy.
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