Greetings Sunny Buddies,
It has been a great week. I am now well and truly 70 and 25 years married. Thank you for all the lovely messages. Yet again, I am a happy bunny:). Below are a couple of photos that capture the fun and love I have had over the last few days. Mmmmmm
Living and Loving in the 21st Century.
And so for something a bit different this week.
Recently, I came across a recording by The Disturbed of the Simon and Garfunkel song 'The Sound of Silence.' This rendition deeply touches me; it is beautiful and haunting in equal measure. Written in the early '60s, Paul Simon was warning us of the dangers of social isolation. He wrote it when he was 21 and said, 'it was a post-adolescent angst.'
I love his perceptiveness, and I see that humanity is also in a state of evolutionary 'post-adolescent angst.' As a species, we must find our way to mature into our fullness and realise our potential as homo sapien sapien, i,e that 'we know that we know.' We are being called to move away from the unhealthy aspects of 21st Century living to more whole, more balanced, and more loving ones.
What I so appreciate about this version is David Draiman's performance. First, I find his voice beautiful and powerful. Then I enjoyed the orchestration behind his voice, elegant and evocative. Then finally, I love the haunting images on the video, particularly the one at the end where the musicians are sailing towards the people with hope for human connection.
Therein lies optimism for me.
It lies within reaching out to the other so that our human 'knowing that we know' matters.
I hope this sparks your optimism this day and encourages you to reach out and connect with those you love.
Click here or on the photo to view the video.
I have placed the lyrics of the song below for you.
Questions for this week
What do you take from the lyrics of the song?
How, for you, does it relate to this time in our lives?
What one thing would you love the human to grow up into
As always, I love hearing from you.
Ann
The Sound of Silence
Hello, darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence
In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence
And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dare
Disturb the sound of silence
"Fools," said I, "You do not know
Silence, like a cancer, grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you"
But my words like silent raindrops fell
And echoed in the wells of silence
And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said
"The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls
And whispered in the sound
Of silence"
by Simon and Garfunkel
I echo Dirje’s words. Thank you, Ann. And thank you for the photos. I’ve had the same experience these last two days. I made it to my son’s home in Southport on Friday. Getting here was a labor of love, with jumping through all of the required hoops. Never since he moved here in 1994, has traveling been so challenging. But we do these things to be with those who are so dear to us.
I had hoped to be able to come up and visit you and David while here. But I think with all the Covid tests still needing to be taken while here and the added risk of more travel, it seems wisest for us to meet at a later trip. I now remain happily in quarantine with these four dear humans and their four pets. One pet, the dog they got at the beginning of Covid, Zelda, accepted me immediately on my arrival. She seemed to sense I am part of the family pack. She knows what she knows.
Hugs all around.
Ann—as always, your writings and musings take us to the heart of an invitation—here, personally, I find a compelling invitation to re-evaluate how much of my time is tied in with the neon god(s) in my life, and how much I balance my time with “singing the songs” penned, and connecting with those I love...sometimes in difficult times, it seems easier to isolate than to connect. This is deeply thought provoking...thank you, dear wise friend, for sharing this gift. Congratulations on both your milestone birthday, and your milestone anniversary! Deeply grateful for you in my life. Much love to you xxxxx