Crucial Track for April 26, 2025

"Into the Mystic" by Van Morrison

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Share a song that got you through a difficult time… this is a long one… My Dad and I were always close, bonding over our shared love of science, nature and general curiosity. However, my Dad also loved music- live music, festivals, outdoor concerts, folk, Americana, classic rock, blue grass, you name it. He played guitar a little and even took lessons the last few years of his life. He loved that our kids loved and played music too. Just before he died, we caught a video of him playing guitar with our daughter Stella, on bass, playing Dreams by Fleetwood Mac together in my kitchen one night. He also loved music history and the connected stories of musicians, American history and culture. When my parents lived in Tennessee, we often visited the Carter Family Fold in Virginia for some live music, dancing with the clogging folk and ground beef sandwiches and popcorn. Those were some core music history memories. I’d like to think he would have LOVED this music blog and been a regular contributor! Music also got my Dad through his long years of cancer treatment and on his last few nights, as he transitioned, we played his iphone playlist continuously, which included a lot of Van Morrison. Since my Dad died, both my brother and I hear Van Morrison songs all the time, especially during important moments for my kids (Stella playing Brown Eyed Girl at the last moment at her recent concert!) or when things are difficult (on the radio on the way to have a difficult conversation). Hearing those songs helps me understand and process my grief as an anchor to positive connection and love, instead of loss. It’s a little reminder that his energy and soul is still there as a guiding hand when I need it the most.