This is my newly-finished song called “The Willow is Weeping.”
I read a poem by JRR Tolkien a few months ago that spoke to my heart (“All that is gold does not glitter”) and I decided to write music to it. Then, because Tolkien’s estate makes getting copyright permission nearly impossible, I decided to replace the original words with my own. It didn’t take me long to decide what this song would be about. The week I was trying to decide on a topic so I could begin the lyric-writing process, I had a conversation with a gentleman at a church party. He spoke of losing his father this past summer and the waves of grief he is currently experiencing. Before we left, he expressed hope that brighter days lay ahead- days where the weight of grief will ease. I went home determined to write this song about grief.
It didn’t take me long to develop the lyrics, pulling from my own experiences, as well as family members and friends who have lost loved ones. I wanted an analogy that helped me talk about grief, and the willow tree seemed like just the thing. I soon developed the verses to shift through the seasons, and loved phrases like “under the ground something’s yawning” and “the numb and the frozen are thawing.”
Enjoy!
(This is a link to youtube where you can see pictures of willow trees as the music plays.)
Years ago, I had the awesome opportunity to go to EFY in Provo at BYU. One of the classes was taught by Brad Wilcox who now is a General Authority in our church (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). After his awesome class, I asked if I could take a picture with him and he (of course!) answered enthusiastically, “Yes!” I still have that picture, and feel especially excited when he speaks in General Conference.
Last fall, he gave a talk entitled “O Youth of the Noble Birthright.” It was a wonderful and inspiring talk, helping young Latter-day Saints understand their “Birthright” – their promised blessings and responsibilities from a loving Heavenly Father. I have 3 boys in those teen and pre-teen years and I thought it would be neat to put this message into a song to help them remember it.
Here is my expression of Brother Wilcox’s message in song. This is called, “Not an Ordinary Passenger.”
Update: Further zoom meetings have been cancelled for now. If you have interest in meeting up for a zoom lunch, contact me at melodiesoflight@gmail.com.
Hello Music Friends! Thanks for exploring this new idea with me!
This is for anyone who would like to chat about and associate with others who write music. If you don’t write music but want to join us, nothing is stopping you! Just know that will be the main topic of conversation. 🙂
I live up in little-town, Eastern Washington and I recently was wishing I lived around others who were working on music writing. I would love to chat, hang out, commiserate, celebrate, and feel encouraged to keep going. Recently it occurred to me that I could initiate this type of lunch by Zoom and enjoy interacting with musicians around the globe. So here we go!
I’m calling this monthly Zoom gathering “Lunch with Laura.” Here’s the scoop:
Every month, fix your own lunch (sorry, I can’t share my food through the computer!) and come join us by Zoom at 12:00 Pacific. There will be a focus thought or question to give us a jumping off point, and then we will just hang out and visit together while we eat for around 40 minutes. Feel free to put your website or handle on the chat, but this is not an opportunity to market your product or try to get attention for your website. If it’s relevant to our conversation, you’re welcome to share what you’re working on, but this is not a primarily promotional space. It’s for enjoyment and chatting and support. Please don’t try to hijack our conversations with advertisements! 🙂
Here are the dates, Zoom links, and prompts. I am not set up to send you reminders currently so make sure you put them on your calendar so you don’t forget! Hope to see you there! (Also, look on my website if there are technical difficulties day of, or send me a note through my website to let me know you’re having trouble getting on with the link.)
I’m feeling very spoiled. I was presented with breakfast in bed when I woke up, and then at church my eldest son gave a talk and paid tribute to me as his mother- what more could a mom ask for? And THEN all the children and teens in our church congregation (including my 3 boys) stood and sung to all of us mothers. The tears flowed freely and my heart was and still is so full. The title was “More than Enough” and its been running through my head on repeat today. It’s gentle, encouraging, and pays tribute to all the heart and work that goes in to being a mother. I thought I’d jump on and share it here. (See link below)
This week I’ve been thinking about how true it is that a mother’s influence is immesureable- not just in a superlative sense as we pay tribute to our mothers, but in a very accurate sense. My mother began mothering me YEARS before I can even remember being on this planet. Spent time caring for me, loving me, teaching me, cleaning up after me, guiding me, protecting me…
My memories of younger years don’t necessarily include what my mom was doing, but as a mother myself, I can see her hand in almost every memory I have. I stumbled over a verse in scripture recently that said something like “He was in and through all things.” It was talking about Jesus Christ, but I can’t think of a phrase that is more true of mothering.
Memories of camping? Who helped you pack? Bought the camera you used (and everything else for that matter)? Listened to your stories when you got home?
Memories with siblings? Who helped you develop those relationships and taught you to be kind? Whose idea was it to do that activity in the first place? And organized the room you were playing in?
Memories of school? Who woke you up that morning? Greeted you when you arrived home? Prayed for you while you were away? Packed your lunch? Wrote you a note? Helped you with the homework?
Memories of worshipping God? Who prayed with you before you can remember? Who created moments of strengthening faith? Who read scripture to you and with you day after day? Who took you to church each week when it would have been so much easier to stay home? Who showed you what it looked like to live a life focused toward God?
Not one of us claim to be perfect- it far too big of a responsibility to do it all “right”- and that was never the point anyway. The older I get, the more I give gratitude to God that I get another day to practice being a Mother. And I know God is pleased with those efforts to love, care and nurture, no matter how imperfect those efforts feel.
Happy Mother’s Day to my Mother who gave birth to me and is in and through my entire life.
Happy Mother’s Day to my Mother by marriage who has blessed my life in countless ways.
Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers out there – who are doing their best and tomorrow will get up and try again.
I have been working on an Easter song, and it’s ready to share. It’s called “Hosanna!” and it tells the story of Jesus Christ coming to visit the people in ancient America after his resurrection. This story is found in the Book of Mormon, in 3rd Nephi 11.
The word hosanna has 2 main meanings: one is a plea for divine help (“Save now!” as I’ve heard it translated). The other is an exclamation of praise. What a neat word.
I believe in a living Savior- He who died, was resurrected, and is closely involved in my life. I have come to know Him as gentle and loving, merciful and always ready to offer divine help- as much as I’m willing to accept. I love Him and am deeply grateful to Him.
MELODIES OF LIGHT 