Connections

I've been accused for many years of being a person who over analyzes things. It's true and I have no problem owning it. It comes from being an introvert and the feeling of always being an "outsider". Why
am I not comfortable in that group where everyone else is relaxed, laughing, and grooving on the collective vibe? It's just how I am, and at 47 it's probably not going to change!
   Last night while working in my shop with a friend, she asked me if I was familiar with the music she was playing. I wasn't, but thought it was pretty. The conversation continued with her asking what I do listen to. (This is where the over analyzing comes in.) So, I started listing the artists that I enjoy most. I am most drawn to singer/ songwriter music, often with a folk, bluegrass feel to them. I love the way my favorite artists craft the words. They have a turn of phrase that makes me stop and say "good line". Definitely, without the music behind, the words are poetry!
  I also find I am drawn to the subject that the artist is speaking of. Iris Dement is one of my favorites, as she write songs about her life, how she relates to the process of aging and changing, loss of parents, working and balancing life. Her work speaks to the reality of my own life. Ten years ago I was working in my studio listening to her song that expressed the sorrow of her fathers impending passing. I was wrestling with my own fathers illness, and looking for the strength to become his kidney donor. She, like a dear best friend, helped me make the choice, through her song! I'll never be able to thank her, but I'll always love her for her words!
   To me, this is art at it's very finest. I love a song, a book, a painting that lifts that veil of separation, and let's us see we are all the same. We all have the same needs, suffer the same losses, lose our youth, and move on to the next sphere.