Decemberists and the open heart

Inspired by the Crane wife folk tale. Desktop image available for download at Decemberists.com

By Dale Conour

I’ve been listening to the Decemberists’ Crane Wife 1 and 2 a lot lately. If you know the song(s), then you’ll remember that at the end Colin Meloy repeatedly belts out "heart" like he’s reaching in and pulling back his rib cage to bare a wounded heart and soul. It moves me every time, and I’ve found that singing along with it, imagining I, too, am opening my heart to the world (even if I’m singing the notes a bit flat), is great therapy. (And seeing them live is great fun, by the way, don’t miss the opportunity).

I think we respond, in part, to the creatures of the world with such wonder and affection because that’s the way they live all the time: Not necessarily soulfully, but truthfully. They are what they are. Of course you could say the same for young children, and often, for the elderly. There’s such honesty there and I hunger for it.

It rakes at my heart.

Links: The Decemberists Crane wife 1&2 , from their website

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