The love of a beloved family member or friend often anchors our lives in ways we don’t see. A loss can change family dynamics and how we see ourselves. When we lose someone we love, it rocks our world and its stability. It can be hard when other people are sympathetic and more polite than usual because it surfaces the feelings of loss. However, no matter what we go through, we have a capacity for resilience within us to work through loss and change. Wild Nothing’s song “Blue Wings” is about recognizing our own inner strength, sometimes with the help of people around us. Blessings can come from the most unexpected places or during the saddest of times.
Key Lyrics: All my fears in a steam room stall / I sweat and sweat ’til I’ve had enough / ‘Til I’m in first place / ‘Til our horse comes out ahead / And my chest is full / Blue wings to lift me up / Heartbeat stops, you lift me up / Under the wire comes my love
Questions: When have you experienced a loss? How has it affected you? How has the loss affected the way people see you? When have you been unexpectedly blessed? How can you bless other people? Read the Sunday Gospel on page 3 of this week’s SPIRIT Issue. How do the poor, sorrowing, hungry, and persecuted bless us? How can you be a blessing to them?