Along with Judy Garland, Billie Holiday has one of the most poignant, powerful, and moving voices in musical history. Both women were dealt difficult hands in life, and both seemingly did the best they could do with their immense talents, outrageous expectations, and the basic impossibility of being a woman at any stage of our human existence. To palpably convey such heartache is an art in itself – to do so with the exquisite gorgeousness that an artist like Billie Holiday can conjure is the stuff of the sublime, and we are all blessed for having heard it.
Here she sings ‘Some Other Spring’ and it’s the vibe of the week now that we’re in season.
You are invited to pause in whatever you’re doing, take a minute or two for yourself, and listen to this spring song. Make it a mini-meditative moment, the way any pause in the day can be if you focus and allow the worries in your mind to pass, even if it’s temporary. Put a pin in them – they aren’t going anywhere – and allow your mind and body to relax. With practice, this can happen at any point, under any duress. When the spring storms arrive, because they always do, you will be ready.
