Echoes

Every time you love just a little
Take one step closer, solving a riddle
It echoes all over the world
Every time you choose one more morning,
Goodness or meanness, life has one warning
It echoes all over the world

It echoes all over the world
It echoes all over the world
It echoes all over the world

Echoes
Dar Williams

Choices!

You and Me

I remember the night,
I remember the sun
I remember the light
When the moon came around
The night flowers bloomed
The air so sweet
I remember you

You and Me
Sara Watkins

Bridge Over Troubled Water

When you're weary
Feeling small
When tears are in your eyes
I will dry them all

I'm on your side
When times get rough
And friends just can't be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

When you're down and out
When you're on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you

I'll take your part
When darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

Sail on Silver Girl,
Sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way

See how they shine
If you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind

Bridge Over Trouble Water
Simon and Garfunkel

43 years ago
I will always remember

Hope

She said, "Son there'll be times when the tides are high
And the boat may be rocky, you can cry
Just never give up
And you must never give

In this life you can lead if you only believe
In order to achieve what you need
You can never give up
You can never give up"

And it's hope that keeps me holdin' on and on
It's just hope that makes me carry on, on and on

Hope
Shaggy

My father had a biopsy today of a tumor in his bladder. The doctor was supposed to remove the tumor, but it was too large to remove.  I'm not sure where we go from here, but the message is clear...

You can never give up

The Weary Kind

And this ain't no place for the weary kind
And this ain't no place to lose your mind
This ain't no place to fall behind
Pick up your crazy heart and give it one more try

The Weary Kind
Ryan Bingham

When you can't afford to quit
When you need to stay focused
When courage is hard to find
You do what you need to do

Time

Some people never get, some never give
Some people never die and some never live
Some folks treat me mean, some treat me kind
Most folks just go their way, don't pay me any mind

Time
Premro Smith and T. Jones
performed by the Pozo-Seco Singers
 

Give a Little Bit

Give a little bit
Give a little bit of your love to me
I'll give a little bit
I'll give a little bit of my love to you
There's so much that we need to share
So send a smile and show you care

I'll give a little bit
I'll give a little bit of my life for you
So give a little bit
Give a little bit of your time to me
See the man with the lonely eyes
Oh, take his hand, you'll be surprised

Give a little bit
Give a little bit of your love to me
Give a little bit
I'll give a little bit of my life for you
Now's the time that we need to share
So find yourself, we're on our way back home

Give a Little Bit
Ronnie Wayne Davies

This feels especially true to me today.  It seems to me that this is the only way the world will change. 
(well.. that and a great 12-string guitar)

Stairway to Heaven

There's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure
'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.
In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings,
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.

And it's whispered that soon, if we all call the tune,
Then the piper will lead us to reason.
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long,
And the forests will echo with laughter.


Stairway to Heaven
by James Patrick Page, Robert Anthony Plant

Led Zeppelin


And the forests will echo with laughter.  What a thought

I'm having trouble trying to sleep
I'm counting sheep but running out
As time ticks by
And still I try

My mind is set on overdrive
The clock is laughing in my face
A crooked spine
My sense's dulled
Passed the point of delirium

Brain Stew
by Billie Joe Armstrong, Frank Edwin Wright III, Mike Ryan Pritchard
Green Day

One of those nights - a million things running around my head - none of which are solvable at 3:00 am.  I read something once that was really helpful for nights like this but I spent half the night trying to remember what it was and where I read it - no luck.  Maybe tomorrow night?

The Secret O' Life

The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time
Any fool can do it
There ain't nothing to it
Nobody knows how we got to
The top of the hill
But since we're on our way down
We might as well enjoy the ride

Now the thing about time is that time
Isn't really real
It's just your point of view
How does it feel for you
Einstein said he could never understand it all
Planets spinning through space
The smile upon your face
Welcome to the human race

Isn't it a lovely ride
Sliding down
Gliding down
Try not to try too hard
It's just a lovely ride

The Secret O' Life
James Taylor

Too many worries.... too many plans.  The best way to live "today"
 is to enjoy the passage of time.

Try not to try too hard.  

Shelter From the Storm

Suddenly I turned around and she was standing there
With silver bracelets on her wrists and flowers in her hair
She walked up to me so gracefully and took my crown of thorns
"Come in" she said
"I'll give you shelter from the storm".

Shelter From the Storm
Bob Dylan

Blame it on the Rain

You can blame it on the rain 
Cos the rain don't mind  
And the rain don't care  
You got to blame it on something

Blame it on the Rain
Diane Warren
Performed by Milli Vanilli

I know!  I know! I know!  But I like it!  It's raining again today and this song came to mind.  Forget Milli Vanilli.  It's Diane Warren!   I love it!

I Think it's Going to Rain Today

Broken windows and empty hallways
A pale dead moon in the sky streaked with gray
Human kindness is overflowing
And I think it's going to rain today

Scarecrows dressed in the latest styles
With frozen smiles to chase love away
Human kindness is overflowing
And I think it's going to rain today

Lonely, lonely
Tin can at my feet
Think I'll kick it down the street
That's the way to treat a friend

Bright before me the signs implore me
To help the needy and show them the way
Human kindness is overflowing
And I think it's going to rain today

I Think it's Going to Rain Today
Randy Newman

 Human kindness is overflowing
And I think it's going to rain today

Storms today - lightning, thunder - traffic lights out - flooded roads

I took some time to drive down to the river to experience the storm from there - whitecaps on the water, the river muddy brown as always in the rain - an oil tanker - a container ship - a tugboat pushing a barge.  Sometimes peace comes in the power of a storm.

The Heart of Saturday Night

Makes it kind of quiver down in the core 
'Cause you're dreamin' of them Saturdays that came before  
And now you're stumblin'  
You're stumblin' onto the heart of Saturday night

The Heart of Saturday Night
 Tom Waits

With a Little Help From My Friends

What would you think if I sang out of tune  
Would you stand up and walk out on me?  
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song  
And I'll try not to sing out of key

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends 
I get high with a little help from my friends 
Gonna try with a little help from my friends

With a Little Help From My Friends

John Lennon & Paul McCartney

Going tonight to see our friend, Andy, and his band play at a local bar/restaurant.  It's great to be around Andy any time, (he's just one of those people)  but especially fun when he's doing what he loves.

Handouts In The Rain

Teach your children stories
You can fill them full of lies
You can make them all despise
One another… one another

But when they all find out later
And they call us by our rightful names
And send us shamefully to old age

Taking handouts in the rain
Taking handouts in the rain
Taking handouts in the rain

Handouts In The Rain

Richie Havens

My father has been in my head all week, trying to justify his cruel treatment of my mother until the day she died -  and me for as long as I have memory. Today, I understand that this latest barrage of bullshit is fear-based and just his frantic attempt to avoid...

          taking handouts in the rain

He is forgiven

If I Had a Boat

And if I were like lightning
I wouldn't need no sneakers
I'd come and go wherever I would please
And I'd scare 'em by the shade tree
And I'd scare 'em by the light pole
But I would not scare my pony on my boat out on the sea

If I Had a Boat
Lyle Lovett

Powerful storms here in Delaware this morning - skies so black that anything in the back yard that was smaller than an oak tree was lost in the darkness.

Homeward Bound

Homeward bound
I wish I was
Homeward bound
Home, where my thought's escaping
Home, where my music's playing
Home, where my love lies waiting
Silently for me

Homeward Bound
Paul Simon

After two years away... I'm back

Home, where my thought's escaping
Home, where my music's playing