Mood Monday
The weekend news was horrific. I am having a hard time processing it all. From worrying about our leaders colluding with Russia, or our country teetering on the brink of nuclear war, to an innocent girl dying at the hands of an anger fueled hate group, I grow increasingly weary and heartbroken. There is an undeniable divisiveness in our country and it appears to be getting worse. Our daily lives are in constant interruption with bold, significant/tragic events which gradually alter our everyday comfort and safety. Each time they occur, the healthy axis of our human existence becomes ever so slightly off kilter. I feel it in my heart and in my soul.
I don’t know what to do about it.
I have made every effort to bring about change and I work hard at standing up for my personal beliefs and the rights of all. For doing so, makes me feel empowered and positive about the future. I will not tolerate fascism, racism, or bigotry.
But today, I feel imprisoned in confusion and indecisiveness, because hate keeps rearing its ugly head, time after time and I don’t know how to stop it.
Despite all of the tragic events, there are really beautiful things happening in my life which I make every effort to focus on. For example, this past weekend, I watched my website go off the charts in readership. Thousands of people read my Killer Whales interview and I am SO THANKFUL. But more than the increased number of readers, I believe I have generated some new friendships based solely on the article, and the incredible band I interviewed.
The main purpose of this blog was to find music, write about it and share it. In the process, I wanted to find people who like what I like, or people who are bold enough to disagree and/or share what they like.
A community of music lovers.
You would think that goal would be a simple one, right? But, it has taken me years to develop, writing almost 500 posts (today is 487), and being blessed by a small chunk of devoted readers and listeners. I have been swimming against the tide for so long, I forgot to come up for air and witness the steady, tangible results.
Today, I sense a slight shift in the tide. This weekend, I am anticipating a wonderful reunion with The Killer Whales, at a beach bar in the beloved stomping grounds of my youth. Friends, new and old, will gather to catch up with one another, dance, and rock out! It will be a moment for me to float away the difficulties of the world.
So, back to music…
I found this incredible song a while back. I have been playing it off and on for a couple of months, but because of my thinking today, it has to be shared. When I did a little research, I stumbled on the band’s video and it also captures the essence of my current mood.
Watch and listen.
Her-Swim (featuring Zefire)
Her is an R&B jazz-pop duo out of France, Victor Solf and Simon Carpentier. They met in high school, where Solf (a German native) sang in the choir and played classical piano and Carpentier played the saxophone. The name, Her, was chosen to represent the cause of women and feminism. With almost 23,000 Facebook followers, I would say they are a hit in Europe.
“Swim” is from Her’s EP, Her Tape #2. The song begins with a sultry, smooth vocal, building slowly by adding in layered textures of finger snaps, electronic timbre, and simple, straight forward lyrics. The climax of the solo sax at 2:45 is totally worth your listening patience. The song’s video portrays the French actress Diane Rouxel, as a modern day Joan of Arc, symbolizing how strong women must be to triumph in the face of injustice.
Solf –“We’re living in troubled times marked by renewed violence, social regression and the rise of extremism.”
I think Her gets it, and recognizes what an uphill battle we all face to end discrimination, hatred, and violence. In the end of the video, I love the fact that ‘Joan of Arc’ is knocked down, gets back up refusing to turn away from difficulty, and begins to move forward again, steadily persevering. Steadily, while the lyrics are repeated over and over, almost like a mantra of strength.
Somewhat like the actress in the video, this week I will rest and clear my mind, in order to build the determination and inner strength I need, to continue to stand for compassion, peace, and tolerance. So, perhaps focusing on what is pure and beautiful is a tiny start.
