As I’ve written before, this quarantine life and social distancing isolation has been a struggle for me; more than I expected it to be. I’ve been seeking salvation from music and other things that give me comfort when I need it. Some of the positive things that’s come from this quarantine are the performances that so many artists have been giving from their homes. I’m beyond grateful these artists are choosing to share pieces of themselves with us, and I hope they know how much hope it gives people like me.
My favorite singer-songwriter of all time is Mary Chapin Carpenter. She’s been performing “Songs from Home” videos on Instagram and Facebook for the last few weeks. During a time when I have no plans or places to go, her performances give me something to look forward to.
It’s hard for me to pick a favorite Carpenter song. There are so many I feel like I could have written myself (although I could never write as beautifully as she does). She sang a song yesterday that is among my favorites of hers. It’s called “Don’t Need Much to be Happy.” It’s on what is probably my favorite album (“Ashes and Roses”) and it resonates with me on a deep level. I cried listening to her sing that song yesterday.
I guess this post is a thank you to Carpenter – to what she’s given in me in life, and in this quarantine and strange time we’re living in. Take a minute to listen to her songs, and support the musicians who are giving us life during this strange and unprecedented time.
“All in good time
Somehow you find
Days that still shine with light…
.
Don’t need much to be happy
A friend to soften a fall
And something to show for my labors, after all
.
I had to learn to be grateful
I had to learn how to see
Mistakes that might have proved fatal
Are gifts I now receive”