November 2021,
I’m deeply grateful to share this song with you, now available on all streaming services. This is the title track of the new album, Unfinished Song, produced by Philip Janz.
A teacher once asked the question, “Do you not know that you are an unfinished symphony?” And that truth resonated deep within me. There is so much pressure from our culture to ‘arrive’ at some level of perfection – physically, in our vocations, in our learning, in our status, in our outer forms of measurement – also in our emotional, spiritual and psychological development. Haven’t we arrived yet? Isn’t there something else to attain?
To rest in being unfinished is a grace. A gift. A joy. My life is still unfolding. I can enjoy being in this moment right now knowing that it is a part of the overall song of my life. We are all unfolding. We are invited to be in this moment – and to not rush to the end of the song. There is more to discover.
It is perhaps a little unnerving to be ‘unfinished’. Our culture celebrates perfection and a glossy image. It is easy to want to hide the parts of us that may be less attractive, messy, confusing, distorted, … unfinished. And yet, it is the beauty of our lives – to become. We are always discovering more of who we are – and this journey of discovery isn’t always in a linear line. Most often, the labyrinth becomes symbolic of our story – a path that weaves in and out, sometimes seemingly backwards – but in the end, leading us home. Our work is to stay attentive to the path that is before us, the next step. We may not always understand where we are. We may not always like where we are. But we are invited to ‘be’ where we are, and to embrace our lives in this moment.
I remember one Advent season, thinking about Mary and realizing she had to let go of the life as she might have imagined it to be, to say YES to the life that was happening. What courage. It is easy to look longingly at another life and wish we had it. It is easy to look back with regret or look forward with fear. The invitation is to allow ourselves to be right where we are and listen for the next step of our Unfinished Song. Let’s find the courage of Mary and say YES to what is before us in this very moment.
As we say YES in our own lives, together, can we hold more kindness and grace for one another in the midst of our unfolding song? There is so much judgement happening around us. Name-calling and cutoffs seem to be the norm on social media. Can we take a big breath – give each other some space to be … even when we don’t understand or are not attracted to another person’s decision or action?
Love invites us to show up – imperfection and all … and to offer ourselves as we are. May we have the courage to do so.
https://cathyajhardy.hearnow.com/unfinished-song (listen to clips of all the songs here)
