I see signs everywhere. No, I am not flashing back to the Five Man Electrical Band, but I think that the world is full of solutions and answers to our woes and problems. That is where my God comes in : Source Of All Positive Energy or SOAPE. I mean the Bible is full of references of how squeaky clean everything in heaven is, so I may be on to something.

Anyway, today I was in the Doldrums, as cheerful as the Ancient Mariner himself and only lacking a dead albatross. Okay, maybe it was not that bad, but here was what was getting to me, in no particular order. 1) the ever darkening days, 2) no calls about my surgery, 3) trying to deal with the day to day stuff in work which increasingly wanes in importance at least to me 4) my inability to deal with adjusting stuff in the time space continuum around the house to meet the needs of recuperation period that I anticipate 5) my low physical energy today and feeling of malaise , and 6) the imminent return of Stephen Harper to Canada. (okay, that last comment was uncalled for, it was immature and wrong )

I was shuffling songs on the iPod and Song for Sarajevo by Judy Collins came up. It is my blog, I can do what I want so I am showing the lyrics. This is not a cheery song at the beginning but it changes as the song ends (I think Collins did a rewrite) but it put things into perspective very beautifully for me. As I heard the words, I had to think for a second “Oh yeah, Sarajevo … that was back in the 90s” I had to think back that the 1984 Winter Olympics were there. Can anyone in 1995 have imagined that in 2010 Lonely Planet would have named it as a Top Ten Travel City in 2010 (along with Vancouver for what it is worth)

Song for Sarajevo
There's no where to hide, no where I can go
I reach out my hand touching death itself
just another holy day in Sarejevo

Hiding from the planes and from the bombing
Fire in the sky burning down my life
There is no more love no more longing

I dream of Peace
I dream of flowers on the hill
I dream I see my mother smiling

When I close my eyes I dream of Peace
Once my mother sang to me and held me
Then the fire came falling from the sky
There is no one left who can protect me

Feeding on the dreams of all the children
War's an evil bird flying in the dark
Every holy promise has been broken

I dream of Peace
I dream of flowers on the hill
I dream I see my mother smiling
When I close my eyes I dream of Peace

You are tall and strong and I am just a child.
Can't we live in a peace stop the flowing blood
Make a blessed world where I can be a child.

Do you dream of Peace?
Do you dream of flowers on the hill?
Do you dream you see your mother smiling?
When you close your eyes do you dream of Peace?

You have struggled here in Sarajevo
Courage you have shown to the watching world
We have prayed and wept for Sarajevo

Children dance again in Sarajevo
Now the sun can shine
Now the birds can sing
Let the peace continue, Sarajevo

Do you dream of Peace?
Do you dream of flowers on the hill?
Do you dream you see your mother smiling?
When you close your eyes do you dream of Peace?

Words by Judy Collins
Music by Judy Collins
Universal Music Corp. (ASCAP)/ The Wildflowers Company (ASCAP)


So what am I trying to say? Just this, Sarajevo was an unbelievable, depressing, catastrophic disaster 15 years ago and today is on the “must see” list for the ubercool Lonely Planet crowd. Bad days come and bad days go. We all have them , but it is nice when you get pulled out.