so I shall sing

My father and I shared a love of hymns.

Actually, it would probably be truer to say I learned to love hymns in large part because of my father. Though he rarely sang outside of the house, he loved the songs of faith. One of his favorites in his later years was Gloria Gaither’s “I Then Shall Live,” which was written to the tune Finlandia. The tune is also a favorite of mine, but to other lyrics: first, “Be Still My Soul” and then “This is My Song.”

August 3 marks the second anniversary of my dad’s death. Today in church I began scribbling lyrics of my own to the tune and I finished them tonight. Here is my offering with gratitude for my father and how he taught me to love songs that speak to my heart.

so I shall sing
although my heart is broken
a song of hope
informed by grief and pain
a song of love
that knows the path of losses
a song of joy
though sadness still remains
so I shall sing
this song as old as mountains
with all my heart
I’ll join the deep refrain

grief’s melody
has colored all creation
yet there is love
that lasts beyond the grave
both things are true
the hope and, yes, the heartache
their harmony
the music of our days
so I shall sing
and pray my heart stays open
to loss and love
and grace that can amaze

Peace,
Milton