The omnipresence of music

A field along Route 106 in Weathersfield, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Music is like the abundant goodness in the world: It’s all around and inspires us when we least expect it.

That musical magic came to my virtual doorstep on Thursday afternoon, in the form of a Jakob Dylan song I hadn’t heard before. I’ve been a fan since his famous days as the frontman for The Wallflowers in the 1990s, when a slew of their songs like “One Headlight” and “6th Avenue Heartache” topped the charts. Great songwriting was already in the family, thanks to his dad Bob Dylan, but Jakob also followed his own path — ending up with some real gems during his post-band solo career. 

One of them was “Something Good This Way Comes”, which Jakob wrote in 2008. Perhaps like many who were in high school in Jakob Dylan’s chart-topping days, I lost track of him after the 90s. So, it was a treat to discover this song, with its mellow, laid-back melody and positive message. I was grateful to hear it, as we near the end of a very newsy week which has brought its share of political rumblings and related fears. A simple tune can bring us back to center, and shine a welcome light on the good in this world, giving us hope to face what lies ahead. 

That light, however, is part of a much bigger picture; it’s greater than just a fleeting feeling. When we receive that gentle, calming inspiration from a great piece of art, whatever its form, it’s really part of an ecosystem of reminders telling us about the best parts of life. Like continuous radio signals bringing songs to us, they are everywhere, and always at work. Even when the radio is off, those same ideas are all around us as we look inward and embrace that ever-present goodness and love. They drive progress, and, as we remain open to such moments, they touch the heart with that light of good, and its sweet permanence. As the younger Dylan’s song says, “This kind of day has no night.”

— Gareth Henderson