I have been a lifelong student of music, and a history buff. During Covid lockdown, I became a fan of the Grateful Dead….their blend of music traditions like folk, bluegrass, blues, and jazz, plus they way they transformed live music….really impress me. Of course their San Francisco roots resonate with me, too. And so I was happy to stumble across the above quote from drummer Mickey Hart reminding us of the rhythm of life and the contributing role each of us play. I was also pleased to recently come across this rendition from lead singer Jerry Garcia – a spiritual tune called “I’ll Be With Thee.” Enjoy this grainy video and its retelling of Salvation History.
I am also finding inspiration in the season of Easter that awaits…I listened to a podcast over the weekend while on my morning walk and was delighted when the guest stated, “the Passion was only for one day. The Resurrection lasts a lifetime!” Amen to that notion. Alas, I share this below poem on “Hope” to remind us of the spirit of the Resurrection.
Blessings on your week ahead!
To Have Hope
To have hope
Is to believe that history continues open
To the dream of God and to human creativity.
To have hope
Is to continue affirming
That it is possible to dream a different world,
Without hunger, without war, without hatred.
To have hope
Is to be a courier of God
And courier of men and women of good will,
Tearing down walls, destroying borders,
Building bridges.
To have hope
Is to believe in the revolutionary potential of faith,
Is to leave the door open so that the Spirit can enter and make all things new.
To have hope
Is to believe that life wins over death.
To have hope
Is to begin again as many times as necessary,
to live as if it were possible.
To have hope
Is to believe that hope is not
The last thing that dies.
To have hope
is to believe that hope cannot die,
That hope no longer dies. To
have To Have Hope.
— Missionary Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo, Prayer Without Borders
Keeping the Faith 