Last weekend my friend Diane and I went to see Neil Diamond’s musical, A Beautiful Noise, at the Paramount Theater in Seattle. She had seen it in New York a few years ago and as soon as she saw it would be playing here, she got us tickets.
We have been best friends for over 35 years, back to those first years after high school. Cruising in my dad’s old Volvo, we would listen to Neil Diamond’s greatest hits on cassette and sing at the top of our lungs. Yeah, a few decades after he was cool with the young folks.
If you haven’t seen it, the underlying plot is that Neil has suffered from depression his whole life and learned that being on stage and preforming would help him overcome those feelings. Or at least keep them at bay.
When he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2017 and was forced to stop performing, he struggled (like many after retirement). His 3rd wife forced him to go to therapy and the musical is a synopsis of his sessions as he works through his highs and lows.
Song sung blueEverybody knows oneSong sung blueEvery garden grows one
In the days after the show, along with the fact I can’t get “Song Sung Blue” out of my head, I have been imagining that Neil’s work on this musical was a part of his “Plan B”. A way to still create and “perform” even if he has to be behind the scenes now.
How many of us build a life around just one thing and it quickly becomes our identity? We don’t know who we are if aren’t able to engage in that one thing. I was pondering a post on the benefits of diversifying one’s passions so that you could weather the end (or even just the pause) of what brings you the most joy.
Song sung blueWeeping like a willowSong sung blueSleeping on my pillow
And then on Wednesday, I was riding home from work and missed a metal bar sticking out into the road and the next thing I know I am on the ground with two busted wrists and a very fat lip. Me after urgent care:
Okay, so now on to Plan B.
Luckily(?), I have a little experience with injury and being one handed (the left wrist is probably just sprained). But this does mean cancelling plans for the next few months and setting aside many of the things I like to do. And not being depressed about this temporary setback. It could have been a lot worse!
Me and you are subject to the blues now thenBut when you take the blues
And make a song
You sing ’em out again
As you can see, my skills at hunting and pecking on the keyboard with just a few fingers are not rusty (albeit slow). There are no shortage of past adventures to share around here.
Funny thing
But you can sing it with a cry in your voice
And before you know it start to feeling good
You simply got no choice
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- The Majority Project There area all kinds of ways to have your voice heard.
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- PM Says Canada Must Build Strength At Home Thankfully at least Canada has a leader looking out for its people.
- Harps & Thistles Yarn Emporium Black History Month Kit bought in solidarity for a future time when I can knit!
- Ice In My Area See above.
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