Yesterday, I wrote about a Beatles’ song, “Eleanor Rigby,” which I’ve always connected with, at a visceral level, for the way it describes how I felt during a difficult period of my life. The lyrics of that poignant song so eloquently describe the secret world of isolation and hopelessness that many people who suffer from mental illness experience every day. They go about their day living lives of quiet desperation, invisible to the rest of us, their inner pain cloistered away from public … [Read more...]
The Poignancy of Anne Murray’s “Snowbird”: A reminder of life’s changing seasons and sadness over what might have been
Springtime has been quietly creeping back into the West Texas landscape these past few weeks and, I must admit, its arrival comes none too soon for me. The warmer weather that accompanies the vernal equinox brings with it returning flocks of migratory birds whose noisy cacophony in the early mornings and around twilight is like that of Midwest retirees, just off the plane following an extended stay in the Florida sun and eager to catch up on the local gossip. Spring has always been my … [Read more...]
Musical Memories: Ripple
It was about 25 years ago when I first became acquainted with the music of the Grateful Dead. Unlike many of the other rock bands or mainstream music acts I’d grown to know and love in the 50s, 60s and 70s, the music of the Grateful Dead always had seemed somehow different and less accessible to me. Ironically, my first true introduction to the band came later in my life through my daughter Laura. As we sat in Laura’s living room one evening, “Ripple” began to play. I was immediately … [Read more...]
Musical Memories: Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You into Heaven Anymore
I’ll never forget the first time I heard John Prine’s ugly, horrible song “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You into Heaven Anymore.” It was in 1971, shortly after I had left the Menninger Clinic to begin my life as a single mother of a young child. My husband Larry had been recently killed in the Vietnam War and my heart was still tender. Larry died on February 19, 1971, and when I first heard the song, I was furious with Prine and his provocative lyrics. But, I was intrigued enough to buy a copy … [Read more...]
Musical Memories: From a Distance
Distance is a funny thing. I’ve come to learn over the course of my life that sometimes we’re just too close to something to truly comprehend it. That stepping back for a longer view – by letting significant time pass – can enhance the clarity of our inner vision and help crystallize our understanding of a significant event or individual in our lives. During 1991, the average cost of a gallon of gas in the US was $1.12, the New York Giants beat the Buffalo Bills in the Super Bowl, the USSR … [Read more...]
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