A Starless Midnight

As we struggle

When I was a kid and people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I never said astronaut. My answer was actually “famous.”

Now that I’m older, I realize astronaut might have been the easier path to aspire to.

Right now, millions of people are watching as the Artemis II mission slingshots around the moon. Fellow humans, tucked into a small space capsule with a name that feels like it should only be spoken by James Earl Jones…Orion.

Whether you’re a space buff, a casual observer, or just an Instagram scroller who happened upon a passing glimpse, it’s hard not to pause and take in the images being sent back from the stars.

And when you do, something shifts.

Now more than ever, it feels important maybe even necessary, to see the Earth as one whole, living ecosystem. Not just water and land, but the millions of living, breathing, striving creatures that call it home.

All of us. Together. On one spinning, fragile, pale blue dot.

Thanks to NASA and the Orion crew for the pic.

I’m a songwriter and a storyteller - that’s how I make my living. Back in 2021, I wrote a song titled Starless Midnight. The odd cocktail of world events mixed with stunning pictures from the universe made me feel like it was the right time to share with you the words of that song.

I hope you enjoy it. If you want a link to live version, I’m happy to gift it to you. I dropped the link in the comments.

For 2000 years

we’ve been getting it wrong,

preaching peace from pulpits,

goodwill in song

but hate marches on

and war prevails,

we are the key to peace

with each inhale-exhale.

Peace, peace, my brother peace.

I’ll be there for you,

will you be there for me?

When will we realize

We’re all we’ve got?

Peace, peace

on this pale…blue dot.

Are we bound to a starless midnight

as we struggle to see

what is wrong and what is right?

Navigations clear,

it’s deep inside of us,

if we just listening to our –

heart beating compass.

Peace, peace my sister peace.

I’ll be there for you,

will you be there for me?

When will we realize

we’re all we got?

Peace, peace

on this pale…blue dot

An eye for an eye

makes the whole world blind.

How about I forgive you yours

and you forgive me mine?

You may say I’m a dreamer,

but I’m not the only one,

Neighbor to neighbor and

father to son.

Peace, peace my people peace.

I’ll be there for you,

will you be there for me?

When will we realize

We’re all we got.

Peace, peace

on this pale…blue dot.