I created this painting for a romance book novel named “Three Weddings & A Kiss.”
Click the blue links below to play audio:
SONG OF JOY-6/13/13 Copyright 2013 by Judy Unger
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Although I was legally married in November, my formal wedding was on June 21, 1981. Tomorrow is my anniversary. My divorce is not final yet.
Two months ago, I began working on the song that I sang at my wedding in 1981.
I composed my wedding song named “Song of Joy” in 1980. At that time, my mother was adamant that I not perform at my own wedding. But in a rare display of strength, I overruled her. However, I had to satisfy my mother’s requirement that my song fit into a religious Jewish ceremony. At the suggestion of our rabbi, I gleaned my lyrics from “the seven blessings.” According to Wikipedia, “The Seven Wedding Blessings” or Sheva Brachot are a mosaic of interwoven Biblical words, phrases and ideas.
When I began to rediscover and record my songs from thirty years ago, I loved the melody and chords for “Song of Joy.” I was pleased that I hadn’t forgotten my song.
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The original lyrics included my husband’s name. In 2010, I changed the lyrics to make the song less personal and renamed it “Together.” Although the arrangement for “Together” was quite beautiful, when I went to record a new vocal for it I decided my song would benefit from a fresh new arrangement.
With this new arrangement, I expanded my song to include an additional verse. I was about to revise the existing lyrics, but then I remembered that I had followed the seven wedding blessings. I liked the idea of my song being a template for a wedding using those blessings even though I disliked the line about “perfect joy.” It sounded like a set-up for marital failure with high expectations. But because it was used in the seven biblical blessings, I decided to leave it there.
My new verse did not use any biblical words and simply came from my heart. I felt great emotion with the words “Together they hope only goodness fills their lives.” It was because I remembered my wedding day. My husband and I began our new life and had no idea of the future challenges we would face together. The words of “As the years go by, this day they’ll remember,” are especially poignant for me. My parable about the Princess below certainly sheds more light on this.
Recently, I decided to change the song’s title from “Together” back to “Song of Joy.” I preferred to focus more upon joy, because “Together” was a reminder that my husband and I were no longer together.
I love the idea of having a wedding song in my repertoire.
For me, I feel like I am starting a new life. It is simply a beautiful start in a different way.
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SONG OF JOY
Together they are
partners and best friends
they create perfect joy
like first lovers in Eden
Together they will
create life in god’s image
and so with the blessings above
They begin their new life today
Oh lord, my god, may this song of joy for them
Play through the streets of Jerusalem
Oh lord, my god, on this sacred day they’re wed
We celebrate their future ahead
Together they stand
with fingers intertwined
as the years go by
this day they’ll remember
Together they hope
only goodness fills their lives
Facing their future
and dreams they look forward to
Oh lord, my god, may this song of joy for them
Play through the streets of Jerusalem
Oh lord, my god, on this sacred day they’re wed
We celebrate their future ahead
Oh lord, my god, may this song of joy for them
Play through the streets of Jerusalem
Oh lord, my god, on this sacred day they’re wed
We celebrate their future ahead
Oh lord above, may this song impart
wishes for their beautiful start
for their beautiful start
for their beautiful start
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When I was married in 1981, only a few people knew that I had already been married six months earlier. I wrote about this when I first arranged my wedding song three years ago. Below are links to posts I wrote at that time:
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I carry a lot of trauma surrounding my wedding day. It was not the beautiful start that I had envisioned, because I had been forced by my mother to marry six months earlier. On the day I was legally married, I was too ill with a stomach upset to even stand up. The six-month period where it needed to be kept a secret before my big wedding was awkward and fraught with stress.
But when I sing my song, I am healed from all of my sadness.
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THE DRAGON AND LAST YEAR’S ANNIVERSARY
The princess knew that she could not hold her secret much longer. Like acid it was burning through her and pouring out from every part of her body. Now that her son knew her horrible secret, he pushed her constantly to “get it over with.” He told her she was foolish to wait, and she told him that she was praying for the right moment.
She knew the dragon was unprepared and would be wounded beyond description. She wished there was an easier way, but she could not think of any. Over and over she heard her son’s words “Just do it! Kick the bucket; kick the bucket!”
Every day held torment, especially when she faced the dragon. She hated his presence because he carried tremendous stress with every word he spoke; he made her ill. She avoided him and wondered if he noticed. For weeks now, they had hardly spoken. Sometimes, she was amazed that he didn’t complain about her absence. He seemed so unhappy with her, but never said a word about it. He projected his anger instead to the many things that were wrong in their castle.
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At one time, she had tried hard to make him happy. But when she found her music, she decided to focus her energy elsewhere. She was relieved to discover her own happiness outside of him and wondered how he lived with so much unhappiness.
Because they didn’t really have a definite anniversary, there was never a celebration. Long ago, she had complained and occasionally he gave her a card. Usually, she reminded him. She had trouble finding a card to give him and most cards made her sad because none of the words were true for her. Their life together was empty.
But when their anniversary came, she suffered until the day passed. She was relieved. It had gone by like a silent whisper. Yet it was still louder than deafening thunder in her brain. She definitely felt more clarity about where she would be going.
The dragon never mentioned anything to her; he had not remembered a card. In her tortured mind, she was certain he knew. Perhaps her son had told him. She imagined that he was preparing himself to hear her words.
Two weeks later, she found her courage and finally released the words to the dragon that their marriage was over.
The dragon was in shock as she had expected. But she had to ask him. Had he forgotten their anniversary? Did he have a premonition that they were divorcing?
The dragon shook his head and told her. It had never crossed his mind.
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© 2013 by Judy Unger http://www.myjourneysinsight.comUnauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Judy Unger with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
