“When the night has come
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we’ll see
No I won’t be afraid, no I won’t be afraid
Just as long as you stand, stand by me” – Lyrics
Early in Dave’s diagnosis, I ran across this video, filling my endless hours of time on my hands, caring for him when he was in very bad shape physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I remember the first time I saw it, and since, it gives me goose bumps (every time) and makes my eyes moist to different degrees, depending on what’s going on in my life when I review it again. I love it. I love the artists, the song, the presentation, the ingeniousness of the producer. The spirit of my fellow man depicted with their ability to sing in the face of whatever obstacles they may have, from our vantage point. I’m not going to assume they see it the way we might.
I hope it moves you as it has me, time and time again. When I’m feeling alone, sad, or joyful and triumphant.
Someday, I hope to travel to some of these far away places and I will no doubt be looking for these street musicians. I will definitely leave my change and hopefully buy their latest CD if they have one. I have been known to do that from time to time and when I listen to the ones I’ve bought, it always brings me a moment of pleasure of the events of that day and takes me back to how I felt listening to them while standing on the corner.
Lori, I just listened to this with Neal…I was smiling all the way through and he had a small smile laid back and contented on the couch. As I listened I felt the positive impact of your “standing by me”. Positive is good for us. With the negative threatening to eclipse us, this effort of yours helped to tip the scales back the other way. Thank you for the smiles and inspiration. ; )
Beautiful! Music really is the universal language isn’t it? I love the way you talk about the “heart of the human spirit”…each artist obviously feels the music to their very core. Thanks so much for sharing and I don’t think I will ever look at street musicians in quite the same way. I will take the time to stop, look and listen!
A window into the world; shedding some light where it is needed. Thank you Lori!
Ben, I buy those CDs they are sometimes peddling while they play on the street, not because I like that genre of music particularly, but mostly because I enjoyed myself, their music, them, and the day. When I play it, it reminds me of all of it. Thank you for pointing out how our memory of a pleasurable moment can lift our spirits.
Thanks, Lori, for the posting. It reminds me a summer more than a decade ago, when our lives saw no shadows. We were on Chicago’s North Michigan Avenue, listening to Indie musicians from Peru playing their signature music in the setting sun and cool breeze from Lake Michigan. The vivid memory always brings warmth to our hearts. Today is a magnificant day in New York. Sun is shining and life is bustling. However dark and unbearable sometimes we feel, we just have to carry on and enjoy each day that is given to us. Life is hard but so much worth living.
I’m glad you like it John. I forget sometimes we don’t always know about or have the opportunity to see these little gems. So as I was enjoying it all over again, I decided to post it. When I first came across it I was getting most of my support from an online cancer website in England and I remember when I posted it there in 2008, folks were very moved by it, as I am over and over. I just love how the producer kept adding and adding each of these artists to it. And I can imagine the cost and effort it took for him to take on such an undertaking. It never ceases to amaze me the heart of the human spirit. Each time I go through it, I fall in love with a different artist. They are all just wonderful characters in the fabric of the world.
I hope you are doing well.
Lori
Oh Lori, this is wonderful!
Thanks for posting.