mary van milligen

So much of my musical interests and tastes began because of my oldest siblings.  I remember the first day of a lifelong fandom after discovering the tape cassette of Bon Jovi’s “Slippery When Wet” in the old, hand me down wooden panel station wagon my brother Paul drove in 1986, but just a few years before that, I fondly uncovered my sister Stacie’s 8-track collection.  The worlds of Reo Speedwagon, Cheap Trick, Genesis, and the ultimate, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory like golden ticket in my eyes beckoning me most, the one and only, Pat Benatar.

The different songs she churned out over the 80s and 90s currently repeat on my Spotify account the last few weeks.  I find solace in listening to them as it takes me to the youthful, calming innocence of those times in my life, but lately, I’ve noticed the words connect to what I’m sure most of us have been feeling on and off the last couple of years. 

Sometimes, we have weeks where we begin our Mondays “All Fired Up”. We’re never quite certain of all of the unknowns that seem to increase their presence lately, but then we share our feelings with our loved ones to know we’re not isolated in our mindsets and begin to run with “The Shadows of the Night” and trust that if we take our baby’s “hand it will be alright.”  This summons our needed confidence to know it’s okay not to have any control and lean into happiness and strength so “ we will be Invincible.” 

But, our best friend, naivete, steps in and allows us to rely on “Promises in the Dark” and even though we try to skip, fast forward, rewind, shuffle, we find a way to get back and repeat “All Fired Up.”

Truth is, even as I write this now, I know these thoughts don’t reflect the last two years.  It’s just what’s always been life. Life and “Love is a Battlefield.” We keep taking all of these steps forward and back in the usual, human way. Yes, we know life, you have to “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”, and we persevere and tap into another 80s icon, Rocky, to get back up.  And when we collectively support one another and triumphantly rise and ignore “the doubts that complicate your (our) mind(s)”.  We know we can find peace in trusting the good and supporting the joy.

 “So close your eyes and try to sleep now, close your eyes and try to dream”, we know this is where “We Belong”.