Sing me home

This week I made three CDs for two friends. Two of the CDs were for the memorial service and reception for my friend's brother in law. The other was for a friend who unexpectedly found his heart in his hand, returned to sender.

I put my heart and soul into all three of those CDs. Finding the songs and recording them in the exact order that I felt appropriate, that was a labor of love. The music was important to me because the people are important to me. I believe in music. I believe that music is a gift from God and I find that it can lead me, heal me, hurt me, send a message to me, make me understand, make me angry, make me cry, make me love, and ultimately, give me hope.

I wish I had musical talents but I do not. I do, however, have an ear for music. All kinds of music. I find so much happiness, a honey pot of happiness, in the music I've discovered.

But... oh, bless my heart for the sad music that I've listened to lately. It has been a challenge to keep my emotions at bay, to keep my own mood, my own emotional well being, while searching through a lifetime of songs to find a handful of songs to help my two friends, a handful that would answer their needs.

I've listened to nothing else for the past three days but the three CDs I made.

I want to share with you the one song that bubbles up, the one that speaks so beautifully, so loudly, so purely. I've never told anyone this before but this song is the one song I return to over and over again, whether I'm happy or sad, whether my heart is full or empty. Whether I am celebrating life and love or reeling from a broken heart, this song is the one song I pull out of my pocket. It reminds me to rejoice.

I think this is the perfect song. And Kenny Loggins' magical voice makes it all the more so. I don't even know what celebrate me home means but I do know it's poetry and I do know that I smile when I hear the words because whatever it means, it feels damn good when I hear it, so good that I can't help but smile.

Home for the holidays,
I believe I've missed each and every face,
Come on and play my music,
Let's turn on every love light in the place

It's time I found myself,
Totally surrounded in your circles
Whoa, my friends

Please, celebrate me home,
Give me a number,
please, celebrate me home
Give me one more song
That I'll always remember,
and I can recall,
whenever I find myself too all alone,
I can sing me home.

Uneasy highway,
Traveling where the Westerly winds can fly,
Somebody tried to tell me,
But the man forgot to tell me why,

I gotta count on being gone,
Come on home, come on daddy,
Be what you want from me,
I'm this strong,
I'll be weak

Please, celebrate me home,
Give me a number,
please, celebrate me home
Play me one more song,
That I'll always remember,
I can recall,
whenever I find myself too all alone,
I can make believe I've never gone
I can sing me home.

Please, celebrate me home,
Give me a number,
please, celebrate me home
Play me one more song,
that I'll...

Celebrate, celebrate
Celebrate, celebrate
Celebrate, celebrate
Celebrate me home

Please, celebrate me home,
Please, celebrate me home,
Well I'm finally here,
But I'm bound to roam,
Come on celebrate me home

Well I'm finally here,
But I'm bound to roam,
Come on celebrate me home
Well I'm finally here,
But I'm bound to roam,
Come on celebrate me home

Check it out for yourself and let me know how it makes you feel.