... And Then Leonard Cohen

For many of my friends and loved ones, the passing of musician and sage Leonard Cohen is a hard pill to swallow in light of all that's happened on the political stage this week.

Why do we mourn people we've never met? How dare we grieve because the music has stopped? Why do artists, musicians, and creative subversives affect us so?

Because, I believe, they put into art objects, songs, stories, paintings, poetry and prose the very stuff and emotion of our existence. These are the logos of our lives, the backdrops to our plays, the soundtracks of our personal dance.

If you, for a moment, can doubt that Leonard Cohen's life, or David Bowie's life, or Prince's for that matter, could really mean anything to us personally, just read these words of Leonard Cohen (from long ago):

so much of the world is plunged in darkness and chaos... So ring the bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering There is a crack in everything That's how the light gets in.

-Leonard Cohen

Yes, Leonard, there is a crack in everything. Thank you for reminding us that it is there for the light not for the sadness.