Sometimes an emotion is too strong, too unfathomable, to be put into words. It’s not enough to say, “I grieve.” This is when music becomes the voice, the only way to tell the world, “I am not okay.” Grief haunts us at the worst moments. It never truly goes away, even if we come to terms with the loss. “If I Ever Leave This World Alive”, by Flogging Molly, succeeds in turning me into a sputtering mess every time I hear it. It is cathartic, in a way. I can release all of the pain I had been holding on to, the things I would say to my loved one though they are no longer near to hear me, the little moments I collect that wouldn’t mean anything to anyone but them. When this song plays, it is a phantom hand that squeezes my shoulder. The missing never goes away. Even though I am reduced to tears, I would not give up the chance to be reminded.
