"And the whole world stills to listen... "

                                                                      Deviant Art

I always recognized the voice. At various random moments, I would stop to listen to its incredible timbre and range as well as the singer/songwriter's own nuanced story-telling. I had no idea of the immensely gifted and kind, charitable soul that was Chris Cornell.

While we're busy rubber-necking celebrity train wrecks du jour, truly great artists more deserving of our attention are all but ignored until in a instant God brings them home. For better or worse, all lessons have been taught. Their job is done, and we are left to mourn, ponder, and at long last appreciate.

"There is a legend about a bird which sings just once in its life, more sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth. From the moment it leaves the nest it searches for a thorn tree, and does not rest until it has found one.

Then, singing among the savage branches, it impales itself upon the longest, sharpest spine. And, dying, it rises above its own agony to out-carol the lark and the nightingale with one superlative song, existence the price.

But the whole world stills to listen, and God in His Heaven smiles. For the best is only bought at the price of great pain… or so says the legend,"  The Thorn Birds,Colleen McCullough .   

The Promise Official Music Video, 

released on Tuesday, June 20th, 2017 ,

to commemorate World Refugee Day....