Some time ago I had a really horrible day. There’s no need to get into the reasons why. Part of the resulting circumstances led me to take a very long drive. Now, whenever I get into my car to go anywhere, even if it’s just down the street, the first thing I do is put on music. I mean, before I even leave my driveway. Always. But for this trip I wasn’t at all in the mood; I sat the entire time, for hours, in silence.

But music is such an amazing, powerful thing. A couple days before I’d been listening to a bunch of tunes by Matthew Sweet, one of my favorite artists ever, and in the stillness his songs just kept running through my head, over and over, stuck in a loop. Especially this one, ‘Morning Song,’ as simple and beautiful a song as I know. I’ve always loved it and found it uplifting. I trust one day I will again.