As I navigate around the Triangle area meeting clients, attending networking events and rushing kids to school and activities, it is very likely I am either listening to a podcast or to satellite radio. The Beatles channel on Sirius XM has vastly improved my life on the road. (Disclaimer: My children disagree strongly as they plea to listen to ‘their music’ as I sing off-key the lyrics of Penny Lane).
Yesterday as I listened to Let It Be, I reflected on the brilliance Paul McCartney has given all of us with a modern hymn created during low points in his young life. His mother, Mary, died when Paul was just a boy and he coped with his grief by immersing himself in music. Years later, Let it Be came from a vivid dream he had as he struggled with his ‘rockstar lifestyle’ and the Beatles struggled staying together.
“When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me/ Speaking words of wisdom: Let it be”.
In a later interview for his authorized biography Paul said, “I had a dream I saw my mum, who had been dead 10 years or so . . . In the dream, she said, ‘It will be all right’. I’m not sure if she used the words ‘Let it be’ but that was the gist of her advice. It was, ‘Don’t worry too much, it will turn out OK’. And things turned out ok for Paul. While the recording of ‘Let it Be’ and it’s subsequent release was the last collaborative effort of the Beatles, Paul met his wife, Linda at this time and the rest they say is history including Wings, over 10 solo number one hits, international activism and a Knighthood. Sadly, 700 mourners sang Let It Be at Linda McCartney’s funeral in 1998.
For those who have recently lost someone and are caught up in the pain of grief, as Paul was at 14, let’s keep the faith that this pain can sow the seeds of new, beautiful beginnings and our bond with the presence of our loved one can appear later in our lives. Let it be.
