Marti Abernathey All That I've Let In, I'm Blessed Beyond Belief

All That I’ve Let In, I’m Blessed Beyond Belief

I’ve always found great joy in music, but there are few songs that impact me to such an extent that I cry the first time I hear them. Tonight I heard the following song did:
All That We Let In – Indigo Girls

“Dust in our eyes our own boots kicked up
Heartsick we nursed along the way we picked up
You may not see it when it’s sticking to your skin
But we’re better off for all that we let in

Lost friends and loved ones much too young
So much promises and work left undone
When all that guards us is a single center line
And the brutal crossing over when it’s time

Oooooooo
(I don’t know where it all begins)
Oooooooo
(And I don’t know where it all will end)
Oooooooo
(We’re better off for all that we let in)

One day those toughies will be withered up and bent
The father son the holy warriors and the president
With glory days of put up dukes for all the world to see
Beaten into submission in the name of the free

We’re in a nevolution I have heard it said
Everyone’s so busy now but do we move ahead
The planets hurting and atoms splitting
And a sweater for your love you sit there knitting

Oooooooo
(I don’t know where it all begins)
Oooooooo
(And I don’t know where it all will end)
Oooooooo
(We’re better off for all that we let in)

See those crosses on the side of the road
Tied with ribbons in the medium
They make me grateful I can go this far
Lay me down and never wake me up again

Kim writes a poem and she sticks it on my truck
We don’t believe in war and we don’t believe in luck
The birds were calling to her what were they saying
As the gate blew open the tops of the trees were swaying

I’ve passed the cemetery walk my dog down there
I read the names in stone and say a silent prayer
When I get home you’re cooking supper on the stove
And the greatest gift of life is to know love

Oooooooo
(I don’t know where it all begins)
Oooooooo
(And I don’t know where it all will end)
Oooooooo
(We’re better off for all that we let in)”

I heard this song right after hearing “No Day, But Today” from the Rent Soundtrack. It just reinforces to me the truth I’ve found here. I feel at home. I feel at home in my skin, and I feel at home in terms of location. Every single second of my life is a gift I treasure. I can’t believe how many times I wanted to die. Even at its worst, life is so full, so rich, and so worth living. I try to express this to the people I love and it never seems that I can ever explain it in a way that fully encapsulates how much I love them and my life here. But I’m no fool, I know that no matter how much I want to stay in this space, in this place forever, time moves on. All I can do is try to be as present as much of the time as possible. Sooner or later I will be taken away from them or they will be taken away from me. That’s just how life is. But right now it’s beautiful and I’m grateful.

Tags: Joy