Stay sharp, get used to loss
Longevity is a blessing and also a burden. A blessing because you get to hang around to see your grandkids and maybe even your great-grandkids. But a burden because every day it seems like another friend has passed. Grieving becomes a full-time job. The last man standing can be lonely. Loss is something you don’t get over. That idea hit me hard when a friend’s wife died and he came to me for comfort. He saw me as a guy who might understand. The thing I know most, I told him, especially after my son Billy died in 1991, aged 33, is that you don’t get over it, but you will get through it. Best I can do is write a song.
TL;DR
- The author uses songwriting as a coping mechanism for grief and loss throughout his life.
- He discusses the importance of enduring relationships, especially his long-term partnership with Ann Marie D’Angelo, and his previous marriages.
- The article recounts overcoming significant financial struggles, including a large IRS debt, through creative means like an album.
- Discipline is shown through engaging in martial arts, playing games, and a complex history with cannabis use.
- The author emphasizes the importance of listening, gentleness, gratitude, and embracing the end of life with peace.