It Gets Better!
“Peace on earth and let it begin with me,
Have mercy on us and those across the sea.”
So much pain and suffering is happening in the world today. Sometimes there are no words as we see others cry, grieve, bleed and feel unlimited despair. Amazingly, the selfish acts of a few who have hidden agendas can disrupt and destroy the lives of many innocent human beings who are just trying to go about their daily lives and existences.
But oh, well. Wars are usually caused by those hidden away in some bunker and far from the anguish and strife. We who are seeing this play out on the world stage can lean on our faith or look for something bigger than ourselves to cleave to for understanding and mostly for the ability to hang in there. Though we all feel helpless to put a tourniquet on the flow and the slaughter, we must at least attempt to carry on.
I think of the dichotomy of life when I think of songs like Frankie Beverly and Maze’s Joy and Pain. It’s like that. Yes, life is a two-sided coin and whether heads or tails, there is the bitter and the sweet. I think of the famed writer Kahlil Gibran’s books such as Tears and Laughter or A Tear and a Smile and the titles alone speak volumes. We get both in this life.
Once, when I felt that my heart had been shattered into a million pieces, a man at a venue sang Smile (Though your heart is aching). I felt he was singing to me personally and he too had tears in his eyes as he may have been remembering some painful event. As I write this piece, I am listening to Rod Stewart sing What a Wonderful World, which Louis Armstrong also sang quite beautifully. Perfect for the moment!.
Only lyricists, poets and writers of the word can string lines about life’s ups and downs in such a poignant way and touch the heartstrings. They have the eye and mostly the heart to feel pain and they have the insight to let others know that “this too shall pass.” And though the tears spill out and the raging seas rock us, the survivors must somehow and someway know that it will get better. Brighter days are ahead after the shock wears away and acceptance takes root.
In the depths of our pain while the dark curtains envelop us, believe it or not, there will be a reason to smile again. While we waddle in the bottomless feelings of despair, there may be a small child who needs a hand to hold or a smile and someone to guide the way forward. And that is something that neither money, silver, gold, land grabs nor any other material hoarding can give to a hurting world. Give a hug and show the love!
Lynn M.
October 14, 2023
