stand by me

"If the sky that we look upon
Should tumble and fall
And the mountains should crumble to the sea
I won't cry, I won't cry, no I won't shed a tear
Just as long as you stand, stand by me"

For me, 9/11 was a day when the sky actually crumbled and fell. Not only was it a day of unimaginable terror and tragedy, it marked the beginning of a profound shift in our culture.

As a vulnerability researcher, I heard a new level of fear and uncertainty in the voices of the research participants - scarcity that permeated every aspect of our lives from war and work, to family, parenting, and self-worth.

9/11 thrust us into a collective "never enough" and it feels like we're still trying to find our way out. It would be easier if the answer was more money, more accomplishments, more power, more perfection, more security, more "better than"  - but I don't think that's working on an individual or cultural level.

Healing scarcity and fear at a cultural level requires exactly what it takes for an individual or family: Connection. It's the willingness to both offer help and ask for help. It's about finding the courage to say, "Can you stand by me?" and "Can I stand with you?" Healing requires the courage to be vulnerable. This is the irony. This is the struggle.

The song Stand by Me reminds me of the power of music and how we can heal our deepest wounds with our simplest gifts:

The courage to tell our story;

The compassion to listen and honor both strength and struggle; and

The connection that happens when we let ourselves be seen. 

I'm a huge fan of Playing for Change and their version of Stand by Me is exactly what I need today.