From my front row to heroism, I wrote We’ll Hold the Light. For decades, my wife Linda, an anesthesiologist at a safety net hospital/trauma center, has worked long, stressful shifts within an overtaxed medical system.
“Working all night at the hospital is like time out of time. The outside world, which includes your loved ones and friends, goes on without you. You miss dinner, bedtime, gatherings of friends, special events. And you are immersed in trauma, illness, grief, loneliness that those outside your work life will never know. The chasm between the two parts of your life sometimes feels immense…” ~Dr. Linda Dill
Enter Covid. Who can imagine the unprecedented sights, sounds and challenges health care workers experienced amid life-threatening conditions? Much of their heroism happened without fanfare. An ICU nurse was the last person to hold the hand of a dying patient, a physician shared devastating news with families, an EMT struggled with nightmares, and the list went on.
Our applause resounded from balconies at shift change…signs proclaimed our gratitude in yards across the country…firsthand accounts appeared in newspaper. We searched for ways to thank health care workers for trying to keep us safe. Our gratitude still seems inadequate.
First released as a single during the height of the pandemic, We’ll Hold the Light was remixed with a few added tracks for my new album. Linda and I created this video to honor healthcare workers and first responders, inviting our friends to send us photos. Their work goes on.
Thank you, thank you.
Joy
Joy Zimmerman is a touring folk & acoustic roots singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and former social worker. Her new album, "Where the Light Lives," illuminates light within the cracks of these challenging times, debuting at #6 on the Folk Alliance International (FAI) Folk Chart Top Albums in August. joyzimmermanmusic.com