Submitted by Gale Williams
Sometimes a song can take on an entirely different meaning based on the circumstances of the day.
On the morning of No King’s Day, this happened in an almost magical way for me. I was feeling very anxious about the rally, about possible violence, and about this country I love so much, so I set YouTube music to play my favorites list. And perhaps because it’s becoming sentient and realized just how much I needed to be uplifted, Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” started playing.
I teared up and smiled as he sang, “I’m so in love with you… Let’s stay together. Loving you whether times are good or bad, happy, or sad. Come on, let’s stay together…”
As I sang along, I realized that the words were not just about a couple who might be on the verge of breaking up, but about America and her people. The America we all love is coming apart, but “Come on, Baby,” the song distills the idea of the need to keep a relationship alive. As a country, we need to remind ourselves that we need to stay together. It’s going to take work, but that relationship is worth saving.
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