Peace in Passing

Nina "Nan" Johnston

Life is filled with experiences that mold us into the interesting creatures we become. Through these experiences we are changed -for the bad or for the better and it is often our choice. I had one such occurrence and was faced with a decision to make. This choice was heavily influenced by a song I happened upon whose lyrics, written by David Warner, changed my life forever.

Let peace then still the strife,
The loneliness and grief,
Come still the piercing silence of passing. 

She left us on Mother's Day. I'll never forget that day as long as I live. I was heart-broken that my own children would never know her like I did.  I hated that they would have no memories that included her home, her warmth, her light.  They would never know her cooking, her laugh, or her smile.  A part of me, of who I was and what had shaped me, was gone.

I had an amazing childhood.  My grandparents lived in Florida--a magical place filled with sunshine, sand, and so many adventures.  My grandparents, Nan and Papa, lived in a beautiful Southern home.  That home is the setting of so many fond memories.  Papa was a traditional Southern cowboy.  He talked slow but he was anything but.  He was brilliant and if you had the patience to listen he could teach you a great deal.  Nan was a doting Southern grandma.  She loved to cook for us, swing with us on the porch, and take us on adventures.  During the summer months, my parents let us visit Nan and Papa for a week all by ourselves.  It was amazing.  They had cattle and a huge yard complete with a tire swing and barn.  I can still smell the bacon frying and taste the chicken strips Nan would make us for lunch.  My grandparents were kind, loving, and selfless.

One of my fondest memories of my Nan is the summer we staryed with her at the beach.  We slept with the sliding doors open and slumbered to the mesmerizing sound of the waves crashing on the shore.  One night we even got out our flashlights and searched for sea turtles coming to shore to lay their eggs.  We collected sand dollars and built sand castles.  We ran in the sun until our faces were covered with freckles.  Nan was our mother hen that summer.  She loved my siblings and I unconditionally.  She provided us with so many happy memories.

Then sing beloved ones,
Reach o'er the summer sea.

Warner compares the space between life and death to a sea.  This comparison is something most can imagine.  The sea is vast and deep and overwhelming.  His choice to describe it as a "summer sea" suggests calmer waves and the return of sand and sea grass.  Summer seas welcome and comfort its visitors.

I longed to feel the comfort I had once felt on her porch.  I was angry that we didn't have more time together.  I wanted more.  I was childish and selfish.  And then I found something that changed my entire perspective.  Let Peace the Still the Strife is a song performed by the Mormon Tabernacle choir with lyrics written by David Warner and music by Mack Wilberg.  While the music is incredible, the poetry of the words is what truly stirred my soul.

Let peace then still the strife,
The loneliness and grief,
Come heal the piercing silence of passing.

I was longing for peace.  I felt all the emotions that David Warner was describing.  His use of the words "piercing silence" were vivid and clear.  The passing of a loved one leave many shrouded in silence.

And sweet familiar strains,
The voices lost in death,
The let the voices roll
As waves upon the sea,
Come forth and break upon us, refreshing.
Arise in songs of hope everlasting. 

The us of imagery here is overwhelming.  He describes the voices of the dead as familiar and hopeful.  The comparison of their voices as waves that crash upon us and refresh us was so relate-able to me.  It took me back to the summer at the beach and I could feel the sand disappearing under my toes as the ocean demanded the waves return from where they came.

For hearts rent wide at death,
Unfolded to our dead,
Hear singing from beyond sunlight's setting.
Then sing, beloved ones,
Reach o'er the summer sea.
Pour forth thy boundless love for us living!

The us of gerunds such as "setting" and "everlasting" give us the sense of progression.  The author could have chosen words that had a definite ending but the fast that he did not suggests a continuance of life.  Death is not the end.

Pour for thy boundless love for us living!
Sweep into ev'ry soul,
Make music of our tears,
Turn all our songs to joy and thanksgiving!
And when we silent pass,
From far across the sea
Let praises ring for life's wond'rous blessing. 

This life is a journey, but so is death.  We leave one shore just to arrive at a different one.  Warner compares love to water.  He describes it as being poured upon us by our ancestors.  This fantastic imagery is successful because all of us can relate to it.  We all have experiences with water so we can all apply this image to our lives.

Then sing ye living souls!
Sing generations past,
Swell high the tide of life, us refreshing!
Sing forth as with one voice,
Bear silent grief away,
Resound with peace and hope everlasting! 

As the lyrics progress, there is a definite build to the power the words have.  The climax of the message is found as you reach the final stanza.  We are encouraged as "living souls" to sing!  Then our loved one who have passed on are encouraged to sing as well and together with "one voice" we expel the silence and "resound with peace and hope," again, "everlasting."  One voice can be beautiful.  In fact, the video at the end of this post begins with one single voice.  However, with the gradual joining of more voices the true meaning of the song is fulfilled.  Together we can find peace.

Death is not the end of life.  As I witnessed my grandma sail away across the sea of death I could almost imagine the scene on the opposite shore.  It was a marvelous party, one fit for a Southern queen.  I could imagine her mother, with tears in her eyes, embracing the daughter she'd missed for so long.  I could almost see my grandpa sauntering over to his love and welcoming her to eternity.

And all who wait and sing
Sing on from earth and heav'n
And make our crossing forth joyful passing!