I HAVE A CONFESSION TO MAKE. It’s one that’s been met with utter shock and disbelief, especially by many of my friends as well as my favorite boss. I never really liked the fan favorite, Broadway musical legend Les Miserables until just this past winter when a stunning performance captured my heart and changed my mind.
Maybe it was my bad experience with an English lit professor in college whose ill manner tainted my view of that period of literature. As such, I found the storyline depressing, uninspiring and, dare I say, boring. Yes, yes, the music is beautiful, but, even with that, I was undeterred in my stubborn dislike.
The counterarguments all came pouring in: “How can you not love Les Miz?!?. It’s a beautiful story of redemption, forgiveness, courage and most importantly hope.”
Huh? I’d respond — preferring to focus on a story I thought was filled with death, prostitution and orphans amidst the background of the French Revolution. Just never drew me in — I’d rather curl up and watch “My Fair Lady” for the umpteenth time.
But this past winter, I was gifted with some tickets and thus thought since some of my favorite people love the show then it’s worth revisitng. And I loved every minute as I rode all the emotions the show evokes.
It’s all about perspective.
Kinda like now. With apologies to Dickens, is it the best of times or the worst of times? Is it an anxiety-inducing time of fear and unrest, or is it a memory-inducing time of slowing down with a spotlight focus on what’s really important.
Or maybe it’s all those things, each day, at different times.
2020 sure has challenged even the most eternal optimist, which I consider myself to be. Yet, throughout these months, I keep hearing one of my favorite songs, jazz great Chet Baker’s rendition of “Silver Lining”:
Look for the silver lining Whenever a cloud appears in the blue Remember, somewhere the sun is shining And so the right thing to do is make it shine for you A heart full of joy and gladness Will always banish sadness and strife So always look for the silver lining And try to find the sunny side of life A heart full of joy and gladness Will always banish sadness and strife So always look for the silver lining And try to find the sunny side of life
Kern, Jerome; Bolton, Guy; Grey, Clifford; and De Sylva, Bud, Look for the Silver Lining, (1920).
It may seem “Pollyannish,” but actually our Catholic faith should make this easier — to grab for hope and to focus on the Light. And the Truth.
What are your silver linings? Fast forward to 2030 and how will you remember this time? My silver linings will include the surprise quarantine birthday party my friends threw in my front yard — all masked and socially distanced, the ZOOM talent show a friend hosted that induced much-needed hours of laughter and so many more.
Again, it’s all perspective. And I hope we can heed Bishop Bradley’s words and come away from this time as fearless witnesses and storytellers of hope and the silver linings.