Tuesday, May 15, 2018

A Narrow Bridge

A few years back we had Mama Doni for Hanukkah.  They previewed a couple of their beautiful Jewish Bluegrass songs.  Now singing as Nefesh Mountain, they have made it big.  They are on the Top Ten Country Chart from Rolling Stone! https://www.rollingstone.com/country/lists/best-country-songs-to-hear-now-tyler-farr-tenille-townes-w519353/nefesh-mountain-the-narrow-bridge-w519356

Click here to listen to the beautiful song:

As I'm listening to their incredible entire album now (Beyond the Open Sky), I was especially moved by this song.  Based around Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav's famous statement: The whole world is a narrow bridge, the important thing is not to (make yourself) afraid.


Nefesh Mountain wrote beautiful lyrics and melody to add to the words of Reb Nachman: (Lyrics courtesy of Nefesh Mountain)


The chorus is especially powerful:
Troubled times, troubled times
You don’t ease a worried mind
Troubled times, troubled times
Just stay behind
It’s not far from our homes

This song speaks to our own life journeys. Some days we find ourselves challenged.  Some days we find ourselves overwhelmed, but in the beauty of this music we can lift ourselves up.

I have walked this world on the Narrow Bridge
Kol haolam kulo
From the lowlands so low, to high up on the ridge
Gesher tsar meod

The bridge may FEEL narrow, but our lives are filled with possibilities.  No obstacle is insurmountable.  As I listen to this song, I'm inspired. These last few weeks have been filled with so much tsurris, so many troubles, but this song brings me hope.  We can overcome anything.

All we need to do is find ways of changing our perspectives.  Any problem can seem overwhelming if we look at it from the wrong angle.  If we can step back, if we can recognize the interaction of our emotions and our logic, we can find a new way to tackle them.  This may sound like pop psychology, but it is really ancient wisdom.  The world may be a narrow bridge, but it is a bridge that can take us to our next adventure. It is a bridge to our future.  It is a bridge to love, life, and all the good that is coming!

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