Every year, 26,000 babies are stillborn in America. In 2003, one of them was my son.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

All That We Let In

I'm a huge fan of the Indigo Girls, who are, for those of you who don't know, a kind of folk-y girl duo, very acoustic and with absolutely amazing lyrics. My sister introduced them to me many years ago, just before I headed off to college, and I've been incredibly grateful ever since. Their songs have saved me so many times, in so many different ways: through heartache, confusion, depression, and so much more. I haven't been listening to much music for far too long now - so many days spent listening to The Wiggles, or Hannah Montana, and whatever's on Radio Disney. I miss really listening to good music, with good lyrics, discovering that new amazing group that makes me want to run out and buy everything they've ever done.

With that said, I've just had a lightbulb go off in my head: can anybody tell me some good music I should be listening to, but I'm not? Besides IG, I love U2, Sting, the Police...um, I can't actually think of anyone else. Aimee Mann is good, though a little dark. My musical tastes haven't really moved out of the 90s. Please comment below and tell me who I should be listening to!

Back to the purpose of this post: I was listening to the IG's album "All That We Let In" a few weeks ago and these lyrics, to the song of the same name, struck me:

The dust in our eyes our own boots kicked up
Heartsick we nurse along the way we picked up
You may not see it when it's sticking to your skin
But we're better off for all that we let in

We've lost friends and loved ones much too young
With so much promise and work left undone
When all that guards us is a single center line
And the brutal crossing over when it's time

Well I don't know where it all begins
And I don't know where it all will end
We're better off for all that we let in

One day those toughies will be withered up and bent
The father son, the holy warriors, and the president
With glory days of put up dukes for all the world to see
Beaten into submission in the name of the free

We're in an evolution I have heard it said
Everyone's so busy now, but do we move ahead
Planets hurling, atoms splitting
And a sweater for your love you sit there knitting

You see those crosses on the side of the road
Or tied with ribbons in the median
They make me grateful I can go this mile
Lay me down at night and wake me up again

Kat writes a poem and she sticks it on my truck
We don't believe in war and we don't believe in luck
The birds were calling to her, what were they saying
As the gate blew open and the tops of the trees were swaying

I pass the cemetery, walk my dog down there
I read the names in stone and I say a silent prayer
When I get home you're cooking supper on the stove
And the greatest gift of life is to know love

--Emily Saliers


That kind of sums up how I feel about Ben. I'm better off for having him. I love more, I appreciate more, and though missing him hurts like hell, I would do it all again.

2 comments:

Monica H said...

I think I'm a better person for having Sam and Jack as well but would I do it all over again???

You know that saying "It's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all" really applies here. If this was the only way for me to have known and loved them then I'd do it all over again, but to keep trying and know that the past can repeat itself is a risk. I have to take the risk but I don't want to go through this again. I just can't...

Okay, I went off on a mini tangent there. My favorite song of the moment is "Chicken Fried" from the Zac Brown Band- it's just fun and it makes me want to dance (and I DON'T dance) :-) and of course there's always James Taylor...love him!

Virginia said...

Mm. Maybe I should clarify, Monica. If it were between Ben never having existed, and having to go through what I went through, I'd choose having him, any day. I don't mean doing it all again in a future sense - those days are past for me, sadly.

I'm not sure I make sense, but I get what you're saying. One day this will be past for you, too, and you WILL be holding a baby in your arms.