Heard a song by Konstantin Wecker and watched him and Hannes Wader on youtube, schon so lang. Will nach Süden ans Meer, bin auf meinem Weg ohne Wiederkehr. They go on singing about wars, desperation, death that has been going on schon so lang. They express what I used to feel years and years ago, this revolt, the fury I felt about the injustice, the lies of the Herren der Welt. And then turn around and say that they haven’t just seen cruelty, but they’ve seen love too, hope, that the people are helping each other out, support each other in times of need, share their friendship and love.

“Níl tú leat féin ar an saol- beidh cairde i gcónaí ann duit is tú i sáinn” teachtaireacht iontach. maith sibh Trinitones – tweeted a friend today about a song that he sent along and is now available on youtube too.

There are friends in Spain following Pádraig’s story. They have sent on link to music they like, not that different from the Irish music we like to much. But there is a song, a poem rather made into a song, that turns your guts, it makes you cry and shout, it’s soft and violent in a good way, all at the same time. By a poet killed by fascists during the Civil War. Antonio Machado. The song based on the poem, La Saeta, is by Joan Manuel Serrat:

¡Oh, no eres tú mi cantar!
¡No puedo cantar, ni quiero
a ese Jesús del madero,
sino al que anduvo en el mar!

(Once you have listened to the original version, check out what time does to you here.)

If you ever were in Spain for Easter Week, maybe in Sevilla, you’ve heard the drums, the Saeta. This one is different – it’s not about being tortured, nailed to the cross. It’s about the ‘Nazareno’ that walked on the sea. It’s about hope.

Pádraig was sitting in his chair, the Viva-la-Thekla, again. For close to four hours. There is no doubt that he is, again, reacting, moving purposefully, responding to us and the friends visiting from Ireland. You wouldn’t believe the sensation of normality young people bring to this ward that has few visitors in the first place, and the few that are there are well over 40, or 50, or 60. It’s like a breath of fresh air that the doctors admire, we appreciate, and Pádraig must really love – because it brings him a sense of life and hope, the knowledge that people keep thinking of him, have him in his heart, and believe that he is going to come out on the other end.

I had a long conversation with his consultant today who is convinced that he has left this space of complete isolation. She is convinced that he is trying really hard to connect, to show that he really does understand when people are talking to him, to react to what is going on around him. She said that once patients start doing this, especially young patients like Pádraig, they can progress and make a good recovery even if it takes a long time. We might have to become a bit more modest in our expectations, become very patient, but have to stay very very positive – and communicate this to Pádraig. Life changes, it takes twists and turns. But life goes on. And friends stay friends.

So here is where Hannes Wader, Konstantin Wecker, Antonion Machado, Joan Manual Serrat, the consultant – and all of us have something very strong in common: hope and an incredible believe ourselves, and especially in Pádraig. We need to keep let him know. You and I know how stubborn he is. How he doesn’t let go. How he persists. ‘Real life’ is just a myth. ‘Impossible’ is for losers. He won’t have anything stand in his way to recovery and a meaningful life.

Today’s German Music Tip
Konstantin Wecker / Hannes Wader, Schon so lang  (2010?). Two singer-song writers about stuff that has been going on for too long… so lang – but haven’t lost hope.
What’s hot
Hope
What’s cold
Drills at 7am (nothing new hear since yesterday)
The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Wintergrillparty (more about this tomorrow or some other day:)

Twitter: @forPadraig
#caringforPadraig
http://www.caringforPadraig.org
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