Another Life Well Lived
Words and music by Richard S. Grossman
I’ve always been one who is deeply moved and inspired whenever I see, read or hear stories about people who have lived their lives well, with great purpose and meaning. The most significant and common trait shared by these people is their legacy ⏤ their devotion to causes much larger than themselves without the need for anything in return except, the intrinsic rewards associated with contributing to the betterment of humanity.
I’m also a huge fan of Alan Ball’s work, especially his masterful original screenplay American Beauty and his tour de force HBO series Six Feet Under (available on Amazon Prime in its entirety). The series finale is, in my opinion, the finest close to an episodic television series ever ⏤ I sobbed uncontrollably for an hour straight after first viewing it. There’s a scene in season one, episode thirteen where Nate (Peter Strauss) is trying to console a client of his family’s funeral home who is fraught with despair over the loss of her beloved aunt. Nate, who has just been diagnosed with a life-threatening genetic brain disorder responds to her question, “Why do people have to die?” After a pause, Nate replies:
“To make life important. None of us knows how long we’ve got, which is why we have to make each day matter. Your aunt did exactly that; and you can be happy for her. A life well lived. That’s the most any of us can hope for.” Watch the scene here (starts at 52:24).
Another Life Well Lived came from my obsession over the notion of legacy. What will I leave behind? I’ve pondered that question all my life. I was fortunate that the stars aligned one day in 2020 just long enough to complete this song. I hope it touches you in some manner shape or form.
Watch the official lyric video.
*Acknowledgement to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for the lyric to the bridge, which is derived from the following stanza in his A Psalm of Life:
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;
When I think about the things I could regret
Mistakes I’ve made and things I’ve said – I wish I could forget
But I draw comfort from knowing that I’ve fought
To be a man of meaning who learns from what he’s lost
So I gather all my courage, and focus on the prize
That place of peace and solace and the promise it implies
Forget the wins and losses
And give all you can give
See your legacy unfolding
From another life well lived
Acts of kindness, whether they are large or small
The blind can see and deaf can hear their soulful siren’s call
And love that emanates from showing that you care
Promotes the kind of world where hope can overcome despair
So I gather all my courage, and focus on the prize
That place of peace and solace and the promise it implies
Forget the wins and losses
And give all you can give
See your legacy unfolding
From another life well lived
There’s one simple question; how can we make our lives sublime
And depart, leavin’ behind, footprints in the sands of time
And so, the day is near, the Piper must be paid
Have I fulfilled my purpose and the promises I made
Did I try to rectify the struggles of the age
And leave behind a future sowed by seeds of change
When I look into the mirror, and gaze up to the skies
There’s only peace and solace reflected in these eyes
©2020 Crocus Hill Music
Credits
Drums, Bass, Keyboards, Guitars and Vocals: Richard S. Grossman
BG Vocals: The Syllablettes
Produced and Engineered by: Richard S. Grossman