A few years ago I met a very skilled musician at a songwriting camp. She wrote some very beautiful folk songs in Finnish. I didn’t know her well, and we didn’t talk much after the event, but soon after the camp I heard that she was diagnosed with cancer. She shared her struggles on social media, hoping that someone in a similar, difficult situation, would get some comfort and understanding through those stories. I followed her journey for well over a year, until the updates stopped. I didn’t know what had happened. All I knew was that the treatments were really difficult and draining.
After a long season of silence, her boyfriend posted a final update on her profile. He told how they had spent her last year together. He had quit his job to be able to be with her for as long as possible, sharing those few moments that they still had. They faced the inevitable end together, hand in hand. They both had to let go of the future they had planned, but that final year together was still something very special, valuable and meaningful. It’s so simple to enjoy life, yet we tend to forget what we’re living for.
Whenever I think about that pure love and ultimate form of caring, I get overwhelmingly emotional. It reminds me of what’s truly important in life. If only we could realize what we have, while we still have it. Their story ended too soon, but at least they appreciated the time they had together.
This song is a tribute to that ultimate gift – the time you spend together with the ones you love.
Our time here is limited. Spend it wisely.
Love,
Joona