“Shine On” by May Erlewine

When you are grieving a loss, there are times when simply getting up in the morning seems like too much to bear. Life itself can feel overwhelming and burdensome, as if the simple act of taking in air is too much of a fight. Even as you begin to regain your strength and put one foot in front of the other again, the weight of grief can strike at any time, crushing your spirit and dragging you back from the light into the darkness of despair.

May Erlewine
(Credit localspins.com)

May Erlewine’s “Shine On” is a song that was written for times such as these. A simple ballad with a straightforward message, it speaks to the need to keep moving forward even when we feel as if we can’t go on — not because we want to or because we choose to, but because life gives us no choice. Written, according to the artist, in response to the growing unhappiness and discontent she saw in the world around her, it is a song about transcendence and hope. It begins:

“Knocked me off of my feet
But I think it’s time for me to start walking again,
Stop running away from things.
Next time you see me,
I will be singing a new song,
I am learning to shine on.

Shine on, shine on,
There’ll be time enough for darkness when everything’s gone.
Shine on, shine on,
There is work to be done in the dark before dawn.

When we are grieving, we withdraw and contract into ourselves, instinctively pulling away from the world in an effort to integrate the reality of our loss. As we move through the grief journey, we begin to venture beyond this self-protective space, gradually opening our hearts and minds to the fact of our forever-changed lives. The possibility of joy — however fleeting — begins to enter our hearts. We begin, as the song says, “to shine on” in spite of our pain.

But maintaining that forward momentum is difficult. Darkness and sorrow creep back into our hearts when we least expect it, making it difficult to remember the respite offered by the light. Erlewine speaks to this when she writes, 

It’s been hard not to give in
And it ain’t easy living in hard times.
I know it’s weighing on your mind.

But in the end her message is uncompromisingly hopeful:

Next time you see me, I’ll be uplifting,
Yes I will give you hope!
I am learning as I go
To shine on…

Shine on, shine on
There is work to be done,
So you’ve got to shine on. 

Popularized by Sawyer Fredericks, the 16-year-old from upstate New York who sang the song on the way to winning Season 8 of NBC’s “The Voice,” “Shine On” is a wonderful song full of promise and optimism. Sawyer’s version, which you can listen to here, is flawless. But I think you’ll also love Erlewine’s rendition, which she delivers live in her characteristic blue-grass, folksy voice with partner Seth Bernard in the video below.