Love Shines

Song Stories #5

Sing a Song

Many people in the Lower Mainland have been aware in the past few weeks of the sudden death of Myron Berg due to the traffic accident that happened just after Christmas. I knew Myron from working at House of James Bookstore over 20 years ago. We worked together for one year - he was the 'cool' guy in the music department. Then about 4 years ago, we reconnected when I started teaching 3 of his children music lessons; Lauren, Bryn and Taeryn. I got to know Gillian and the whole family for around 2 years and enjoyed quite a few musical events together.

I wasn't going to put this song, Sing a Song, on the album but then two things happened - one was celebrating the 18th birthday of Christian Friesen on January 14, my nephew who died last March and being aware of the Berg family as they mourn the passing of Myron. (funeral for Myron tomorrow, Jan 21) I realized again that so many of us experience death as a part of the life we are living now. We are all holding someone in our hearts that has passed one. I sang the song for Philip as a last minute possibility and he said YES - let's do it.

When another nephew, Trevor Dueck, died 3 years ago, I created a Service of Remembrance ...a musical evening to help us honour and remember loved ones who have died. On the 2nd year of this concert, when I was cleaning up after that evening, the reality of my own passing became more clear. That night I could not sleep and wrote these words, only to sing them before 1500 people a few months later when Chris died. I also sang them at a Haiti Memorial Fundraiser concert after the earthquake.

As I recorded the song today , my heart went out to the Berg family as they release Myron and love him. My heart sings for Chris, my beloved nephew....my brother Randy and his wife Ingrid and their son Max who are journeying through this grief.

These words are now part of the Love Shines CD project.....

here is an excerpt:

excerpt from

Sing A Song....

sometimes I think about that day

when I'll have wings and fly away

to a place I've never been

never known, never seen

It is a mystery, this life

one day I'm here and then I'm gone

and when that day, it comes for me

I ask that you would sing a song......

sing a song from your heart

through the veil from which I've part

sing a song that is true

and I'll sing ....back to you....

excerpt from Sing a Song from the upcoming Love Shines CD