Recently, I was called on to write a simple chant for a class I am taking. This wasn’t just any type of song; rather, it was intended to be specifically about someone I knew who had passed and it’s purpose was to be a something of comfort that could have been chanted/sung when this person was transitioning into their final journey (in this lifetime anyway 🙂 ) What came to me was a full blown song.
It’s been a long time since I wrote lyrics for a chant or song and I have always been a bit squeamish with sharing anything that I have created that is music/lyric related. I took the leap of faith, and posted my lyrics in the discussion forum for this class. I was delightfully stunned when the teacher – a recording artist that I respect and admire – said the song was “beautiful” and contained “gorgeous lyrics”.
At the request of some friends on Facebook , I am posting the lyrics here but first I need to provide some context.
This song was written about my grandfather who passsed 5 years ago. He and my grandmother were what you would call soulmates. They fell in love many years ago but for a variety of reasons it took them several years to finally be together. Once they were, it was like they orbited each other. You could see one of them light up when the other entered the room and the energy in the room just seemed to be incredibly loving when they were together. They would often take little adventures and travel to various places.
My grandfather always thought he would go first, but my grandmother passed unexpectedly of lung cancer roughly 10 years before he did. He would often have dreams of her and you could tell that he missed her terribly. He would still have joyful moments when around his family and friends but there was always a little part of him that seemed to be missing.
The day before my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer, I had a dream in which my grandmother told me it was time to say goodbye and she went to him, held his hand, smiled and told him it would be ok. One evening shortly before he passed, my grandfather told me that he wanted to be with her when he passed but he was scared that she might not be there because he hadn’t seen her in his dreams in quite some time. I told him about the dream I had had and that she was definitely there, looking out for him. He thanked me with tears in his eyes and it wasn’t too many days after that that he slipped into unconsciousness and passed peacefully.
The lyrics below (still working out the melody) are for him (though really the chorus could apply to anyone also believing in a feminine deity or guide).
HOME
Now comes the time for sweet release
Your great work here is done
All your pain and fears will cease
But your memory lives on
Chorus-On the other side, she is waiting
On the other side, she is waiting
On the other side, she is waiting
Waiting to take you home
See the twinkle in her eyes as she holds out her hands
Your heart it soars, your soul it flies
A new adventure in a sacred land
Chorus
Your loved ones circle around your bed
Ready to let you go
And though they’ll miss you they will be fine
It gives you peace to know
Chorus
Love for those you hold dear in your heart
Love for all that came before
Shifting form into a world
Where you can love forevermore
Chorus-On the other side, she is waiting
On the other side, she is waiting
On the other side, she is waiting
Waiting to take you home
Waiting to take you home