take a sad song and make it better

I was helping out at E's Aphasia Chit Chat Cafe this weekend

(which, by the way, is such an awesome thing and I've been dreaming

of running a child language version of this; it's basically a simulated cafe,

facilitated by volunteer therapists, so persons with aphasia can practise

their communication by way of chill conversations around a table, and when

ordering their food). One of the entertainment segments had music therapists

playing live music on request whilst they move from table to table.

At my table, we had a gentleman, Mr G, request Hey Jude, after we managed to help him write it out on paper (he struggled to get it out intelligibly in speech!). So the whole table belted out this classic Beatles song (which I hadn't taken the time, ever, in the past to truly appreciate) -- it was so cute! Even the ones who could barely get single words out were attempting to sing along. Music is such a wonderful thing when put to great use. It really lifts the spirit and connects people together -- which is why music therapy exists, I suppose. So anyway, I was totally enjoying the song too and sharing my phone with an adorable Mr W who was enthusiastically croaking along (hehe), when I noticed that Mr G was dabbing his eyes with tissue half way through the song. I stopped short and realised he was tearing up!

Oh gosh. I had to blink back tears myself, seeing him! Do not cry, S.

Suddenly, this Beatles song took on a whole new significance to me.

How difficult it is to live with this difficult thing!

How many dreams have been broken, 

how many loves possibly lost,

and how the heart aches.

But then to be able to enjoy a beloved song again --

how beautiful. 

I've been thinking that, rather than utterly sad things being the cause of tears:

it's when you've been given a breath of hope beyond your expectations,

when something overwhelms you in such a positive way,

this could happen I didn't think it would! --

that then causes the tears to come.

Hey Jude, 

Don't make it bad...

Take a sad song,

and make it better...

Remember to let her into your heart

Then you can start to make it better...

Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah Hey Jude
(this is totally everyone's favourite part hehe!)