It’s been a tough week. Jeff’s mother is in the hospital again and not doing well.
I didn’t anticipate what a comfort having a baby would be in tough times. Jeff and I probably benefit most because we get to hold her most of the time, but her babbling and antics make everyone smile, from her grandmother to the nurses to the doctors. Just seeing life continue is reassuring.
As is often the case with strong emotions, I wonder why there aren’t more songs about this. The only one I can think of is Sally Fingerett’s “Home is Where the Heart Is,” about a child learning about families:
On the corner there’s this nice man
His name is Mark, he’s always smiling
He’s got this mom who comes on Wednesdays
In the evening with soup so steaming
He shares his house with his friend Martin
They’re not brothers, they’re not cousins
My little girl wonders all about these men
I take hold of her hand, and I begin:
Home is where the heart is
No matter how the heart lives
Inside your heart, where love is
That’s where you’ve got to make yourself
At home
The song is from the peak of the AIDS epidemic in the US, but the last verses could be about any illness:
‘Round the corner, here comes Martin
He’s alone now, he tries smiling
He roams around his well stocked kitchen
He knows that fate will soon be coming
My little girl wonders how he will live
I take hold of her hand and I begin:
Home is where the heart is
No matter how the heart lives
Inside your heart, where love is
That’s where you’ve got to make yourself
At home
Martin sits and waits with his windows open
His house is empty, his heart is broken
We bring him toys and watercolors
He loves to hear my little baby’s stories
She’s the gift I share, she’s his companion
She’s the string on a kite
She guides him into the wind
My little girl wonders who will care for him
We take hold of his hand and we begin:
Home is where the heart is
No matter how the heart lives
Inside your heart, where love is
That’s where you’ve got to make yourself
At home
The whole sky 