love song

I've been thinking a lot lately about the situation here at TFC; and I may post some of those thoughts later, if they become clear and coherent enough for publication. In the meantime, however, I want to sing a love song for TFC.

I respect and admire many of the people leaving and many of the people staying, and the whole conflict continues to distress me greatly. So please understand that I am not singing this song as an expression of shallow optimism, or a facile assurance that everything will be "okay." Rather, I'm singing it because I love this school, and am grateful for it, despite its many faults; and because I love the people here (and the people not here) far too much to brush any of it away.


If you disturb a cloud, expecting rain to fall,
why not expect the rainbow too?
If you've loved a sunrise, or a sunset, mellow, pure,
happiness is surely worth the rain.

Reach out a hand, thumb through your dreams,
touch lightly all your memories.
If a heart has nothing to share, and finds no song to sing,
brush it all away like so much gold.

If you've planned some work, but lost the time to do,
don't curse the work or waste the skill;
if you've a good foundation, just the will to build again
makes quite a treasure of worn-out tools.

If you've sown some seeds, just to see them fly away,
harvest yet may have some fruit to bear;
if you've seen your life grow, when an old thought sprouts a smile,
plowing out the sad gives hope the field.

Reach out a hand, thumb through your dreams,
touch lightly all your memories.
If a heart has nothing to tell, and finds no song to sing,
brush it all away like so much gold.

If a heart has nothing to tell, and finds no song to sing,
take my guitar with your scattered gold.


Phil Wiley, "Gold"