Cathy Bolton

I woke up this morning, itchin’ to write about Cathy Bolton. She was among a group of people on the Caribbean cruise I had the privilege of spending an evening in Puerto Rico with. It was my friend Betsy’s birthday celebration, and her friend Jorge took us on a walking tour, and Kathy is a friend of Jorge’s as well, and she was there.

She was way on the other end of the table, and someone whispered she was an amazing musician, the likes of Ava Cassidy. So…as we were walking along, checking out shops, giving Jorge the thumbs up on a great new hat, I asked her about her music.

(Jorge’s new hat)

We talked just a bit and she mentioned she might be having a small concert on board the ship, and she said she’d invite me. And she did.

A few days later, the last night of the cruise, Cathy Bolton performed for about 20 people in a little side room on the ship. It was beautiful.

She is the Music Director for the Conversations with God Foundation and performs four times a year at spiritual retreats with Neale Donald Walsh in Ashland, Oregon. Her voice is sweet and sometimes haunting. Think of Dolly Parton’s most soulful ballads. 

During the concert, my friend Don, the adult with Asperger’s I met on the beach, interrupted a couple of times, appearing very overzealous in wanting to record Cathy and put the video on You Tube for her. Cathy, not knowing who he was or what he was about was very gracious, and then firm about what felt right to her. As a mother to a child with social deficits, I held my breath, “Please don’t be mean to him, please don’t be mean to him.” And she wasn’t. She handled it with perfect grace.

One song she played, titled “Give Me Wings” brought tears to my eyes. It speaks from a woman’s heart of needing more, asking for space within a relationship for her own God given gifts to grow. I bought Cathy’s Angels and Eagles CD and listened to it on the plane on the way home, passing it up to Ed for a listen as well, (And he liked it. I saw him jot down Cathy’s name).  

Actor/humanitarian Dennis Weaver was a dear friend of Cathy’s and she put his words to song in a beautiful balled titled Dream Your Eagle. It is on the Angels and Eagles CD and you can also listen to here on Dennis Weaver’s website. It is so very inspiring.  

Looking out at the heavens, hearing Cathy’s sweet voice on the plane ride home was the perfect ending to the perfect trip.

Just thinking about it gives me chills.

I am so blessed.