"I Will Take You In" Life, Liberty & Love for the Stranger
Mark Addison and I wrote the song, “I Will Take You In” as a reflection of the “golden rule” and a reminder that in our human journey, we are one species, tribe and family. The song was inspired, in part, by the lines from the poem “New Colossus” aka the "Statue of Liberty Poem" that welcome newcomers saying:
“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” - Emma Lazarus
Powerful words.I deeply believe that one of the most redeeming quality we share as a species is our capacity for love. This belief is mirrored by every major faith on earth.
Yet some days we are negligent and careless to the earth and our fellow inhabitants, we war with our own families and slander the very grace and love that affords us this amazing, unique and finite time on the earth.
Every day we wake up with a choice.
To love or not to love. To walk in courage and compassion or to cower in fear, cover our eyes and point our fingers. To smile or to avert our eyes when greeting a new face.
On this Independence day, I hope we can remember the reason we, and so many others risk all to fight for liberty, freedom, a better life and love.
