...and then it broke...

I never would have imagined that music would become so important to me in my retirement years, but I listen to music almost every day. Once I begin, it's hard to find a stopping place. Most of the songs in my iTunes collection hold special meaning for me, reminding me of a special place, person, or event. Others I love because of the wonderful stories they tell (I've been a sucker for a good story my whole life). Still others lift my spirits with the sheer beauty of their melodies.

I first heard this particular version of today's featured song on a CD purchased on a whim while waiting for a table at the local Cracker Barrel Restaurant (back when carbohydrates were my best friends). The CD stayed in my car stereo for weeks, and I quickly grew to love this song. One verse of the lyrics has always reminded me of my second marriage.

I was broken in spirit when I met the man I'd soon marry, and he made me feel safe and secure for years after that. As time passed, though, I gradually became afraid to lean on him. Sometimes I wonder if I had already leaned too hard for too long.

Here are those lyrics:

I leaned my back against an oak,

Thinking it was the strongest tree,

But first it bent and then it broke,

And that's the way love's treated me.

The album is Celtic Wonder, the song is "The Water is Wide," and the singer is Niahm Parsons. And here (with thanks to the person who added the beautiful photos and posted it on YouTube) is the music video: