Fall 1980
          In the fall of 1980 I was in grade 12 and attending Dexter regional high school and the city of Dexter, Maine. My family had moved to the area from Ft Erie, Ontario. I was halfway through my senior year. I remember that particular move because I did not want to move, I had a boyfriend that I have been going live for a year, his name was David and he and his family attended our church. I was quite excited when he asked me out the first time… For you see I was still in high school and he was a university man. He was attending Mcmaster’s university. Being with him… Having him in my life, helped me get through high school. So, when the announcement came that we were moving I was not happy about it at all. However, I couldn’t do anything to change my circumstances.
The day I said goodbye to him was up until that point the hardest day of my life. Once we moved away we kept in touch for a while but then lost touch with each other. I remember thinking as I stood in our apartment in Maine you can’t change your circumstances Rhonda, so, you had better find a way to be happy.. Look for the good.
        There really was a lot to be thankful for. I was living up above my great grandparents and right next door to my grandparents. My family was all around me… My Uncle Paul and Aunt Linda were always coming over, and my cousins as well. Eventually, I worked through my sorrow and began to find contentment.
        The first day of school was a jumble I was halfway through my senior year and had just moved from a Canadian high school. I learned that everything is different than the Canadian System as opposed to the U.S. System of education, I had to sit down with my guidance counselor and sort out my credits and classes; it took an afternoon. One good thing about attending Dexter regional high school was that it was considerably smaller than the city high school that I had been attending. I could find my classes quite easily and I have never had a problem making friends and soon I had become a part of everything. One of my favorite classes was music. Ever since I was old enough I have been in school band programs. I played the clarinet at first and then decided that I really wanted to play percussion. There has always been something about the sound of the drums that I have loved. Even as a small child going to a parade I would listen with everything that was in me to hear the drumbeat… I could even feel the vibrations on the ground as the band marched by… It exhilarated me. So, when I joined the Dexter high school marching band I was able to be a part of the percussion section.
       The Thanksgiving Day parade was coming up soon and the director of the band told us that we would be marching in it. I was so excited! Our uniforms were red and white, the school colors. We had tassels on our shoes and hats that we wore high on our heads with a strap under our chins. I loved the dressing up in my uniform.
One day the instructor informed me that I would be playing the bass drum, so I should learn how to strap it on. When I picked up the bass drum it was almost as big as I was. I was not very big and it was heavy too, but I was determined to make it work. We had many practices outdoors before the parade, we would practice a marching and playing and just have a good time. We drilled over and over again. Every time I strapped the bass drum on me it was a challenge to march around with it, but soon I got the hang of it. I thought to myself, “I’ll be OK provided we don’t have a strong wind on the day of the parade.”
       Finally, the day of the parade arrived. I went to the school early and dressed in my uniform, I strapped by bass drum of me and grabbed my beaters. When everyone was ready our instructor hollered out the commands for marching and off we went. We marched about 4 miles that day and as we made our way into the city of Dexter I was thrilled to see the turnout of people along the road. Little children and grandma’s and grandpa’s, young and old, it was great! As we rounded a turn in the town square I could hear my name in the distance “high, Rhonz! We’re over here!” this was being hollered a time or two. Who was it? As a looked out over the crowd I could see my aunt Linda’s hands waving in the air and and all my Cousins waving on the curb. They had been watching for me to come, they were cheering me on! They all yelled so loud, it was a bit embarrassing… But I loved it! Just as I was about to wave, A gust of wind and came up on me and caught my bass drum. I control it, I fell out of step much to the irritation of my fellow drummer’s standing next to me, they were not impressed. I started to much out of time, the drum section was definitely lagging behind. I was the only bass drummer and everyone depended on me to keep the beat. At first I laughed… But then when I saw that I was not in control of the situation I panicked. The Drum Major stopped the band and they all marched in place for about a minute as we hurried to catch up. My family of course was laughing hysterically and have to this day not forgotten that parade. When I joined the band we all started marching again and so on it was if nothing happened. No harm was done.
      Now, when I am at a parade I laugh remembering that Thanksgiving Day parade in Dexter, Maine and I always listen for the band… For the drums , and when I see them I give a holler and cheer them on. Many of my family that cheered me on that day are no longer with me here on this earth. God has seen fit to take them on home with him. At times when my life gives me challenges such as, illness with radiation and chemotherapy, a Neuromuscular disease which has been the biggest challenge in life for me. Sometimes, no, lots of times, I can my family’s voices cheering me on from the great balcony of heaven. They say “come on, you can make it!” , “We are so proud of you!”, “Your heavenly Father is proud of you Rhonda Lee!” When I hear them, or dream of them, I feel my Jesus blessing and He gives me the strength to march on! It’s important for all of us to keep marching, fall into step and listen closely!