Been a tough couple of weeks as we buried our father last week and adjusted to life without him (and crippling care costs!). My mother is handling things well, stating that she “lost him years ago,” but we know that’s not the whole story. Losing someone makes you reflect on everything, I suppose. I have found myself considering more closely my parting words and initial reactions to situations. You never know…
And whilst my own personal story has had another chapter written, so has the world’s. There have been the most awful stories over the last couple of weeks, not the least of which being Nepal, wherein whole communities have been lost. Literally wiped from the map, and yet even amid this awfulness, there have been tales of selfless acts, life-saving actions, and humanity’s enduring resilience.
It is easy to get sucked into a whirlpool of despondency when faced with climate change disasters, aggressive imperialism causing death and injuries, balaclava-wearing goons terrorising ordinary citizens, and laughing bigots dismissing their criminality as a ‘witch hunt’, but I consciously choose to see the joy and optimism that is also all around us but far less reported on. It’s mainly because these things are the everyday things that make life special. A few examples this week.
My grandson’s first day at ‘big’ school; proud as punch, uniform not yet covered in crap, grinning from ear to ear, yet terrified or at least nervous inside. He had a good day.
The wedding party I took to church on a bus. Everyone was excited and pleased. I caught a brief view of a bride beaming as she stepped from a car with a tearful Dad.
The mate who drove a 300-mile round trip just to be there at my father’s funeral.
The Felice Brothers playing brilliantly in the 100 club. They were as pleased to be there as we were to watch them.
And just last night, the album launch party for My Girl The River’s new album Manifest Good Things was joyous; both full of laughter and a sense of community. Maybe it’s a mantra we should all try out for size. It certainly worked for Kris, Joe, Rue, and the band. So why not join me in visualising a better world? Maybe we can make a difference: let’s hope so.
So, listening this week has been the aforementioned My Girl The River and The Felice Brothers. The radio show features Dogwood Tales, Sam Burton, Jay Farrar, The Jayhawks, This Is Lorelei, and much more. As ever…
