The dark clouds that have gathered are sure to drift away

“The dark clouds that have gathered are sure to drift away
The sun will shine tomorrow, it will be a brand new day
You can make it through this moment, of sorrow have no fear
When you need a friend, just call on me, I will always be right here”

I have always loved to write and I find I can express myself easily through the written word.  Perhaps then, it was for this reason that I felt compelled to write the verse above after I had heard the very sad news of three friends who all lived in close proximity to each other, and tragically all three had taken their own lives within a few days of each other.

It really rocked me to the core that these wonderful young people with everything to live for could see no other option for themselves.  It got me thinking about the fragility of life and how our emotional wellbeing has such a major impact on how we deal with life’s challenges.  I felt I could best compare it to a candle whose flame burns strong, steady and bright when all is well in our world, but that flame quickly fades and flickers when the winds of change blow sorrow or fear in our direction.

The most effective way of protecting and maintaining a strong and bright candle light from those winds of change is to guard the flame with two hands clasped tightly together.  I truly believe the same principal applies in our own lives.  When those winds of change blow havoc into our world, we can stay strong by placing our unsteady hand into the strong and comforting hand of a friend.

There is strength in unison and a comfort in knowing that there is someone there to support us in our hour of need.  The most important thing each and every one of us must remember is that there will always be someone there for us when we do need a friend.  The crucial factor is in taking that first step of reaching out and letting someone know that all is not well in our world.  Once we share that burden which we have carried, we immediately feel that a weight has been lifted from us.  Even so, we may not instantly find a solution to our problems, but talking it through allows us to see things from a different perspective, and thereby, creates greater possibilities for resolution.

Personally, I have experienced how powerful the value of true friendship is in my own life.  Over the past number of years, illness and incapacity has been a constant presence, in one form or another, within our family circle.  Heartbreakingly, death has also knocked on the door more than once and has left our entire family devastated as a result.  However, the one thing that kept us all going in the midst of the devastation was the outpouring of support from so many people who wished to help out in whatever way possible.  Nothing was too much trouble for people to do and the kindness shown to us in so many ways will stay in my heart and in my memory always.

The other constant in my life is hope.  In the depths of despair and throughout each period of sorrow, grief and strife, I try not to dwell on the sorrow because this creates negative energy and drags us further into despair.  Instead, I focus on a brighter tomorrow.

It is these beliefs that I hold which form the basis of my song ‘Light of Life’.  My son, Evan Davis, took the lyrics of this song into the other students in his Transition Year class in Glenamaddy Community School, Co. Galway last year.  They were looking to take on a different type of project, one in which they could help make a difference to the lives of others in the process.  To my delight, both students and teachers loved the lyrics.  They immediately embraced this project, set about putting music to the lyrics and recorded the song as a fundraiser for Pieta House West.  They performed the song live at various concerts and on local radio.  The song can be accessed through Pieta House website via this link and, should anyone wish to donate, all proceeds go directly to Pieta House.

I am so happy that this wonderful group of young people decided to take on a topic such as this and highlight it as they have done so.  Communication is vitally important for all age groups.  We will all need a friend to lean on at some stage of our lives and the message we wish to convey to as many people as possible through this song is… DO NOT BE AFRAID TO REACH OUT FOR HELP.

Life is precious.  Of course, the dark days will come, this is a natural part of living.  However, in the midst of those dark days, we can rely on two things; a hand of friendship to help us through the rough spots and the certainty that the sun will rise again for a brighter tomorrow.