Grateful For Music Challenge '22

Welcome back to another....

GRATEFUL FOR MUSIC CHALLENGE! 🙏𝅘𝅥𝅮

We are in year 2022. I started this challenge clear back in 2015, 8 years ago! Time flies.

After a month of listening to a lot of intense, hard, dark, sometimes slightly morbid and "heavier" music, it's always nice to slow things down and enjoy some more light-hearted and peaceful songs. And that's what November is for me! A nostalgic, beautiful, peaceful, uplifting music time.

So let's get started!

Song: Together Again

Artist: Janet Jackson

This year has been another hard one. On top of all the regular struggles and problems I have and that the world has and that is just a part of life in general, I lost two very dear grandparents. 🤍 It's been difficult to fully comprehend and accept. They were both so special and such a big part of my life. It's still hard to believe they are gone. 

It's also been a difficult past couple of weeks for me personally, as much as I tried to enjoy the Halloween season, I often felt very upset and overwhelmed and lonely. It's made me miss my dog more than usual (which I already miss him a lot, every single day, so you can imagine how it is when I say more than). 🖤🤍💔 It's been over a year and yet, it still feels as fresh and painful and tragic as it did that dreaded summer day last year. My heart actually aches. It breaks over and over again every time I think of him. I also found out two short weeks ago about the passing of my neighbors dog who I have helped take care of for years. She was my link to the family and was the only other "dog" in my life. Finding out about her passing brought up a lot of PTSD from when my sweet puppy passed and it's just another change in my life that I don't want and didn't ask for. But life doesn't care how you feel or if you're ready or not. It just keeps rolling, throwing punches as it goes. 

So, this song is in dedication and in memory of my sweet puppy dog, my grandma and grandpa and "my" other sweet dog who felt so much like my own. 🤍🖤💙💔 This song is interesting because the lyrics are kind of sad, talking about the loss of someone close, but the melody and tone is upbeat and happy. I feel like it's the perfect way to describe the reality of death in a strange sort of way. The pain at losing the ones you love coupled with the love you will always have for them and remembering all the special times you had and being grateful that they were a part of your life. It's making me emotional as I see each face of these loved ones who are now gone flash through my mind. I miss them all so much but I'm so grateful for the way they each touched, changed and impacted my life. 

One line that really makes me tear up is when it says: "I know you are free" and "Sometimes hear you whisperin' "No more pain." Each of these individuals lived good, strong, healthy, long lives but at the end, each of them was sick and suffering. So it makes me happy (even tho I'm crying and still feel sad most times 😭) to know they don't feel anymore pain and are "free" of the challenges and pain of old age and poor health. I still wish they could be here, with me, but I will remember them in heart always! 🤍🖤💙💔 

There are times when I look above and beyond

There are times when I feel your love around me, baby

I'll never forget my baby

I'll never forget you

There are times when I look above and beyond

There are times when I feel your love around me, baby

I'll never forget my baby

When I feel that I don't belong

Draw my strength from the words when you said

Hey, it's about you, baby

Look deeper inside you, baby

Dream about us together again

What I want: us together again, baby

I know we'll be together again, 'cause

Everywhere I go, every smile I see

I know you are there smilin' back at me

Dancin' in moonlight, I know you are free

'Cause I can see your star shinin' down on me

(Together again, ooh)

Good times we'll share again

(Together again, ooh)

Makes me wanna dance

(Together again, ooh)

Say it loud and proud

(Together again, ooh)

All my love's for you

Always been a true angel to me - now above

I can't wait for you to wrap your wings around me, baby

(Wrap them around me, baby)

Oooh, wrap them around me, baby

(Wrap them around me, baby)

Sometimes hear you whisperin' "No more pain"

No worries will you ever see now, baby

(Ever see you, baby)

I'm so happy for my baby

(Happy for you, baby)

Dream about us together again

What I want: us together again, baby

I know we'll be together again, 'cause

Everywhere I go, every smile I see

I know you are there smilin' back at me

Dancin' in moonlight, I know you are free

'Cause I can see your star shinin' down on me

(Together again, ooh)

Good times we'll share again

(Together again, ooh)

Makes me wanna dance

(Together again, ooh)

Say it loud and proud

(Together again, ooh)

All my love's for you

There are times when I look above and beyond

There are times when I feel you smile upon me, baby

I'll never forget my baby

What I'd give just to hold you close as on earth

In heaven, we will be together, baby

(Together)

Together again, my baby

(Together again, my baby)

Everywhere I go, every smile I see

I know you are there smilin' back at me

Dancin' in moonlight, I know you are free

'Cause I can see your star shinin' down on me

Everywhere I go, every smile I see

I know you are there smilin' back at me

Dancin' in moonlight, I know you are free

'Cause I can see your star shinin' down on me

As always, this Grateful For Music Challenge of 2022 is dedicated in memory of my puppy dog! I love you forever my sweet boy!! 🖤🤍💔 You still continue to inspire me every day!