Our Society’s values and experiences have a soundtrack, thanks to the songwriting and singing talents of member Jessie Glass. During the last three years, she has written and performed three beautiful, compelling songs specifically for Ethical Culture, most recently “Winter Light,” for our Winter Festival, and before that “Finally Here,” which includes video, for our Society’s re-opening last year, as well as the pre-pandemic “Mosaic.”
“I wrote “Mosaic” after the 2019 Community Weekend, inspired by a platform where some of our members shared all the diverse reasons that they were drawn to Ethical,” Jessie said. “Finally Here” was written about the re-opening of the Ethical building after the long closure due to COVID. “Winter Light” was written for the most recent Winter Festival. “Although there are tons of Christmas and Channukah songs,” Jessie said, “I don’t know any songs that celebrate our version of a winter holiday. So, I wrote one for us!”
Back in the day, composers wrote for kings and queens. Thanks to Jessie, we in the Bergen Society are getting the royal treatment! Thanks to Jessie for sharing her considerable talents with us.
Here are the lyrics to Jessie’s first song for our Society:
“Mosaic”
Chorus
We stand together and the picture’s clear.
We stand together and the mosaic grows, year after year.
We stand together, but not as one.
We stand as many, many. And we’ve begun.
Verses
Some bring a higher power and the mystery of that light.
The blanket that will keep us warm through a long and bitter night.
For some the awesome mystery is the elegance of math.
We’re choosing human brilliance to guide us on our path.
***
Some of us are searching as the stewards of our seeds.
Looking for a place to plant that will meet their growing needs.
Some feel a loss so keenly that we cannot find our way.
We’re looking for some help to get through each and every day.
***
And all the glue that binds us, whatever it may be,
Brings every piece together in concert and in harmony.
And when we stand together, each color side by side,
The image we’re assembling will become our sacred guide.