Category Archives: Leather Bound

Weekly Writing Challenge: Moved by Music

Posted in Food for Thought, Leather Bound, Short Stories by
Dena Ferreira

Photo by Jason Homa

“Mars ain’t the kind of place to raise your kids
In fact it’s cold as hell
And there’s no one there to raise them if you did.”  – Rocket Man by Elton John

Music moves me to extremes; allows me to explore my deepest sorrows, my most audacious dreams and joys and create characters from these places. Music transforms my mind to another place and time. I love classic rock-n-roll when I’m writing about life in the 70’s, Motown for the 60’s.  I also incorporate music into my food design. Depending on what I’m cooking, my music is set to match the memories, time and sentiment of a dish.

Elton John’s “Rocket Man,” plunges me deep into a sorrowful place where I lay suspended over a well of burgeoning emotions of pain and regret.  Just when I think I might drown, the bridge in this song allows me to release the pain, and soar free.   The first two stanzas and the line, “I miss the Earth, I miss my wife,” conjure up those feelings I got when I knew I wasn’t a perfect mother, I knew the choices I made had terrible consequences and I knew there was no turning back -only turning forward and facing all of my fears.  For that reason, My daughters Emma and Gigi come to mind and soul when I hear this song.  Any tears I cry while listening to this song are for them.  The pain I feel is for them.

It’s a pain I want to revisit and revive from, over and over again -because I never want to forget.  I never want to repeat the same mistake.  The phrase, “I think it’s gonna be a long, long time,” gives me the permission I  need to just let go, and feel every single corner of  those pockets of sadness, to really grieve and to whole-heartedly accept the process, knowing this too shall pass.

Thank you Elton John and Bernie Taupin for such an amazing song with poignant lyrics.

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