My Music Series: The Other Side

The third song I want to share in my June music series is sung by Wynonna. I discovered it last fall and immediately it resonated with me. It was during the time that followed the initial freedom state and then the reality state  and this was the beginning of the hopeful state. This is when I started to think beyond the immediate freedom and pain but to a time when I would be healthy in mind, body, soul, and spirit. In a lot of ways the lyrics speak for themselves:

The Other Side sung by Wynonna on ”The Other Side” EP

Written by Kevin Stephen Welch

So, you’re at the end of your wits, end of your rope

Just can’t fix everything that’s broke

Gotta turn it loose, babe, let it ride

‘Cause it aint about pride now, aint about guilt

Just come to a bridge that you still aint built

Sit down here with me, I’ll tell you bout the other side

The other side of loneliness, the other side of the blues

There really is a place like this where the sun is gonna shine for you

You’ll feel that old restlessness, your tears have all been cried

You’ll find your way over this and you’ll make it to the other side

Life gets hard, life gets cold

No matter who you are, gonna settle on your soul

There comes a time when you go looking for a place to hide

But one of these days you’re gonna lift up your head

Whistle up those hell hounds of yours and sit up and make them beg

That’s when you’ll be ready, ready for the other side

The other side of loneliness, the other side of the blues

There really is a place like this where the sun is gonna shine for you

You’ll feel that old restlessness, your tears have all been cried

You’ll find your way over this and you’ll make it to the other side

I’m reminded of this song tonight because I am working on a writing exercise that has me looking at my past, present, and future. It was very revealing to me as it has stirred up a lot of feelings about the loss in my marriage. I actually had some raw, honest feelings of anger and pain tonight. It was uncomfortable and exhausting to release them. I have learned that this is what needs to happen, though. I need to give a voice to those feelings. And so I did. It felt very much like bridge building. I clearly want to get to the other side which is about living beyond the loneliness and the blues. It has become about believing in myself, in the process, and in the life I can have and deserve. It is worth building this bridge. It is work, it isn't a magical bridge that just appears. To get the bridge built, I need to see where I want to go – a place that is better than this side. I see it. I like it. I want it.

 I hadn't realized that there were bridges in The Healing Lane, but of course there are!