A playlist is often more than songs, much as songs are more than words. They stir emotions, enable us to relive memories, and to relief our stresses.
I listened to President-elect Joe Biden's speech tonight. His writers decision to include references to the devotional Christian hymn On Eagles Wings was a great touch to a speech which hopefully starts US politics onto a path of reconciliation over polarization. (And hopefully inspires better dialogue here in Canada).
My parish, St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Hamilton, often uses this hymn in our services. I can't recall if it was played on March 15. The 7:15pm Sunday Mass that day, early in the pandemic, was livestreamed and I was able to watch parts of the Mass. To hear the music from home brought me moments of piece, and to hear our folk band reminded me of how knowing them has made me a better person.
I selected a Spotify playlist which included On Eagles Wings tonight. It includes a few gospel singers who I was introduced during my early 20s by people I dated who were into the muscial arts and performance.
Of the three individuals, one died too young [it feels so odd to note her birthday each year, and for her to be frozen in time as the rest of us continue to age], and life has moved on such that I no longer am in communication with the other two. [I recently deleted my forgotten LiveJournal account and it was fun to reminiscence reading our exchanges there]
They made me better, and it is nice to think of them through music.