Celebrating you, yes you, with a special gift!

It’s been quite the year.  There’s much to gnash our teeth, despair and flail over, but there’s equally much to celebrate, including you dear reader.

The blackbirds are singing in the dead of the night, take these broken wings and learn to fly, all your life you were only waiting for this moment to arise.  With a little help from our friends and colleagues, we don’t have to go it alone.  And in fact, we shouldn’t.  (All types of) Community is everything.

Community brings peace, hope and possibility. 

Let’s celebrate community because it can change the world.

Know that on dark nights, when you might feel chicken to effect change, I have your back. The very shape of you and your gifts, your talents, your unique perspective is what the world needs, all day and all night long.

Our silver lining, which is worth raising a glass to, is when emotions feel like a landslide and it seems like we’re sinking into a dark pit, being able to put on our boogie shoes, and continue to go our own way.

Every day is a winding road.

Sometimes we may not feel like dancing, but one way or the other, we can ALWAYS try, as we bow down to the temple of peace, hope and possibility and then get back up and we can work it out.

Because out of the depths of sorrow and of possibility and while it’s still in many ways a man’s, man’s, man’s world, it’s signed, sealed and delivered, you were right.  That little voice that clamors in your head was and is right.  Your voice is necessary and oh so needed. So take me to the river, let’s wash off 2019 and bring on the gifts of 2020, which definitely includes you dear one. 

The table is never too crowded, there’s always room for one more. 

Let yourself have faith. I have faith in humanity, I have faith in you.

This tribute celebrates you, yes you.  It’s based on a playlist I put together for you with songs from the italicized text.

Take a listen, take a step and dance. Here’s the list of songs and artists:

1. Blackbird, Emma Steven
2. With a little help from my friends, Joe Cocker
3. Change the world, Eric Clapton
4. Chicken to change, Freshly ground
5. Shape of you Wouter Kellerman, Ndlovu Youth Choir
6. All night long, Lionel Richie
7. My silver lining, First Aid Kit
8. Raise your Glass, P!nk
9. Landslide, Fleetwood Mac
10. Boogie Shoes, KC and the Sunshine Band
11. Go your own way, Fleetwood Mac
12. Everyday is a winding road, Sheryl Crow
13. I don’t feel like dancin’, Scissor Sisters
14. One way or the other, Blondie
15. Try, Dolly Parton
16. We can work it out, Stevie Wonder
17. Mi’Ma’amakim (out of the depths), Idan Raichel
18. It’s a man’s, man’s, man’s world, James Brown
19. Signed sealed delivered, Stevie Wonder
20. T’avais raison Lams, Bilie Holladaze (you were right)
21. Take me to the river, Al Green
22. Crowded table, Highwomen
23. Let yourself, Martyn Joseph
24. Paradise, George Ezra
25. My I have faith video (this one’s a special twist on an old favourite, just for you)

P.S. I did a similar type playlist last year which you can watch here and read about here.

Celebrate

• Watch and listen to the playlist

Laugh

• Sometimes trying is hard but there’s always help at hand.

Lead

• Share the playlist and tell someone why you’re celebrating them.
• Let me know which song or part of the story resonated most with you in the comments below.