A Whole Lot of Heart by Ingrid Michaelson
Ingrid Michaelson came out with a new album a few weeks ago, "It Doesn't Have to Make Sense." Many of the songs are about losing her mom and about getting a divorce. We hear a lot of love songs about the end of romance. I was more intrigued about songs related to the loss of someone important to us. She expressed this beautiful sentiment in an interview about the album, "And it wasn't until I realized that I can't make sense of it that I was able to breathe a little more." (The Muse, 2016).
Sometimes, we just can't make sense of the things that happen to us in life. We might use religion, books, journals and a number of different frameworks to try to make sense, but sometimes, it still doesn't make sense. And sometimes, we can give ourselves a little grace to raise our fists up to the sky and to scream, to shout, to yell.
I've been listening to the album since it was released. And there are these poetic lines throughout songs like 'I Remember Her' and 'Drink You Gone,' about loss and love. But the one song I keep listening to is a separate kind of feel, 'A Whole Lot of Heart.' There aren't a whole ton of lyrics;) in this song, but I appreciate the sentiment of it:
I don't know...this song feels like an anthem. And has this retro feel to it, like a Toto song from the 80s. You feel me?
Message wise, it's this reminder to me that we all have a whole lot of heart in us. It's certainly a reminder to me...I feel that heart in me...there's a whole lot of it in me. And sometimes, I don't express it fully like I should. But when I do, DAMN! The ripple effect is palpable. I feel it most when I'm singing and performing, when I'm with my most favorite people and we are fully present, when I write, when I share my truest self. There are so many reasons we don't show a whole lot of heart...I'm slowly trying to discern the moments when I do and don't and holding close to moments that make me feel full. Recently, it was big moments like celebrations we had in Chicago and Maryland to continue celebrating Anay and my wedding. And small moments like when I'm writing this blog or getting to have dinner with friends in D.C. I haven't dined with in ages.
This whole heart feeling...it comes to me in waves and reminds me of life and purpose. I feel like I want to do so much in this lifetime: sing, compose, act, write, love, teach, learn, travel, read, serve, be. And this song reminds me that so much is possible as long as we can "let it go to let it in"... whatever it is that blocks us: our own insecurities, physical pain, our grief...if we can let it go, to let the heart in, that's the magic right there.
I was reading some of Jonathan Field's work recently. He runs the The Good Life Project along with a podcast. He interviews a whole range of people and pushes people to think what this life could be that we create/recreate in front of us. He reminded me in the first chapter of his newest book, How to Live a Good Life, of the question from the poet Mary Oliver, "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
Here's my follow-up: And how will you live with a whole heart?
Sometimes, we just can't make sense of the things that happen to us in life. We might use religion, books, journals and a number of different frameworks to try to make sense, but sometimes, it still doesn't make sense. And sometimes, we can give ourselves a little grace to raise our fists up to the sky and to scream, to shout, to yell.
I've been listening to the album since it was released. And there are these poetic lines throughout songs like 'I Remember Her' and 'Drink You Gone,' about loss and love. But the one song I keep listening to is a separate kind of feel, 'A Whole Lot of Heart.' There aren't a whole ton of lyrics;) in this song, but I appreciate the sentiment of it:
There's a whole lot of heart in me
I feel it under my skin
And I know and I know and I know
There's a whole lot of heart in me
It takes a whole lot of heart to see
Everything's coming down roses
Message wise, it's this reminder to me that we all have a whole lot of heart in us. It's certainly a reminder to me...I feel that heart in me...there's a whole lot of it in me. And sometimes, I don't express it fully like I should. But when I do, DAMN! The ripple effect is palpable. I feel it most when I'm singing and performing, when I'm with my most favorite people and we are fully present, when I write, when I share my truest self. There are so many reasons we don't show a whole lot of heart...I'm slowly trying to discern the moments when I do and don't and holding close to moments that make me feel full. Recently, it was big moments like celebrations we had in Chicago and Maryland to continue celebrating Anay and my wedding. And small moments like when I'm writing this blog or getting to have dinner with friends in D.C. I haven't dined with in ages.
This whole heart feeling...it comes to me in waves and reminds me of life and purpose. I feel like I want to do so much in this lifetime: sing, compose, act, write, love, teach, learn, travel, read, serve, be. And this song reminds me that so much is possible as long as we can "let it go to let it in"... whatever it is that blocks us: our own insecurities, physical pain, our grief...if we can let it go, to let the heart in, that's the magic right there.
I was reading some of Jonathan Field's work recently. He runs the The Good Life Project along with a podcast. He interviews a whole range of people and pushes people to think what this life could be that we create/recreate in front of us. He reminded me in the first chapter of his newest book, How to Live a Good Life, of the question from the poet Mary Oliver, "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
Here's my follow-up: And how will you live with a whole heart?
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