Break Open

Many people have said that the last few months are like a grieving process. That we are grieving our country.

Well, I don’t know about you all, but I am not so good at grief. Grief is messy, unpredictable, and brutal.

Sometimes it’s easier just to avoid the depth of the feelings, and get busy or worry or escape.

Sometimes, the right song can break us open. Not just for sadness, but also for empowerment, for joy, for energy, for fun.

One afternoon, I listened to Hamilton – maybe you’ve heard of it? 😉 – and I listened to It’s Quiet Uptown, a song about the family’s grief, on a loop. It made for a good cry.

A silly favorite of mine is The Lazy Song by Bruno Mars. Its main chorus goes, Today I don’t feel like doing anything…, but by the time I’m done listening a few times, I’ve found my motivation again.

One more recommendation, for anyone going through any kind of grief. The composers of yore knew how to do a Requiem that moves you. My two favorites are the Faure Requiem and the Rutter Requiem. (Mozart’s is beautiful but too angry for me.) Listen all the way through and you will go through all the stages of emotion. Usually by the end I have found some temporary catharsis and peace.

What more could we ask for from art?