Another one died.
It was a cold winter. The temperatures were below normal, below tolerable. Walks which were beautiful in the snow and ice were now painful.
For many, it was A Time To Die. Like in Ecclesiastes, a time for everything. And you knew that if you just kept moving, you'd make it to a time when the earth had melted. But at a time when the only comfort was the thought of a warmer world, it was hard to sing.
And that's why he got her out of bed. Before she could protest. Even when her voice was in shreds from tears (and so was his), he kept nudging her to sing. Louder. Keep going.
He knew her natural inclination was to depression (as was his). But she was there, and so there was a reason to keep fighting.
They could collapse later (it was their silent motto). But to find out, first thing in the morning, that THIS great man had died was too much for either of them to take alone.
They kept singing.
Pete Seeger, If I Had A Hammer
It was a cold winter. The temperatures were below normal, below tolerable. Walks which were beautiful in the snow and ice were now painful.
For many, it was A Time To Die. Like in Ecclesiastes, a time for everything. And you knew that if you just kept moving, you'd make it to a time when the earth had melted. But at a time when the only comfort was the thought of a warmer world, it was hard to sing.
And that's why he got her out of bed. Before she could protest. Even when her voice was in shreds from tears (and so was his), he kept nudging her to sing. Louder. Keep going.
He knew her natural inclination was to depression (as was his). But she was there, and so there was a reason to keep fighting.
They could collapse later (it was their silent motto). But to find out, first thing in the morning, that THIS great man had died was too much for either of them to take alone.
They kept singing.
Pete Seeger, If I Had A Hammer
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