We Are Humans

It's amazing to think that in this day and age with all the scientific progress, that human's are so vulnerable to disease. The two most vulnerable groups are the very young and the very old. The perception of illness is intrinsically linked to the age group that is affected, not taking into account the socio-economic or environmental factors that exist.

There is a kind of tacit acceptance that the older generation's susceptibility to illness is a given and therefore we are less inclined to empathise as acutely as we would for the younger generation who are victims of illness.

The fact that people are living longer and healthier lives results in a 'they had a great innings response' when someone we know dies. I was deeply affected by my nan's death who suffered from dementure which set in when she was about 90. My most vivid memory of that time was how scared my nan was, and she expressed it that way, saying she was scared, conscious of what was happening in the moments that she was herself.

My nan died many years ago, but that particular occassion has burned an indelible imprint in my consciousness. That said of course, she still had 90 years of a life that was full of vitality.

Children on the other hand, with hopes, dreams and aspirations before them, who fall victim to illness touch our hearts in a way that is unique in the animal kingdom. The empathy we experience for children that are not our own can be very overpowering and there is a desire and sense of urgency to do whatever we can to help.  

That is why I wrote the song Shine That Light. When Paul Francis asked me why I wrote a song for their charity, I replied as follows. 'I could have given you $50 like thousands of other people, but I wanted to do something different. I wanted to write a song that was synonymous with your Charity, that people could download thereby generating money for your charity, and everytime they played the song, it would remind them of the Humpty Dumpty Foundation. I had expectations that it would be played on the radio, it would be the subject of TV interviews. I had visions of the song being played at the Domain in Sydney for the Carols by Candlelight concert, with famous singers taking a line each like on Live Aid's 'Do they know It's Christmas' or 'We are the World' and everyone in the crowd joining in and singing to it. That is what I saw. That is what I see.

The second line of the song is 'I'm not the only one who's travelled down this weary path before'.

How does that make you feel?

Do you get the sense of giving up, or of hope?

The intent is to take strength from the fact that someone has already been down that road before, and therefore lessons will be learned?

For those of us who have healthy children, we should spare a thought for the parents who have to go through everyday, waiting for a breakthrough or a new treatment so their child can get better.

For them I would like to Shine That Light.

Join me for the next installment of this blog.

I am a songwriter

Guy Simons