I've been fortunate over the past year to have emailed back and forth with Cindy Bullens, an incredibly talented (though woefully underappreciated) artist who lost her daughter, Jessie Bullens-Crewe, to Hodgkin's disease at age 11 in 1996. Cindy is kind enough to go around the country and play fundraising benefits for families like ours, in addition to her normal touring schedule. Cindy's album, Somewhere Between Heaven and Earth, does two important things (for me, that is) it captures a parent's grief and it rocks, or should I say, RAWKS!, dude. Her lyrics and music transcend the treacly pap I fear dominates a lot of the grief and mourning space. I would recommend her music to anyone (not just those mourning the loss of a child), particularly this album and her newest, Neverland, which features a stellar supporting cast of Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris and Benmont Tench. I think Cindy's music is going to help Laurie and me a lot. One of Laurie's favorite movies of all-time is Grease, and I think it bodes well that Cindy wrote and performed a lot of the music for the film's soundtrack.

I've got this cranked, very loud, right now. Thanks Cindy.

Better Than I've Ever Been
…(People say) that I'll never be the same
That's true-no doubt
But I know more now what life is about

I laugh louder
Cry harder
Take less time to make up my mind and I
Think smarter
Go slower
I know what I want
And what I don't
I'll be better than I've ever been
Maybe I'll be better than I've ever been…

There's a curious freedom
Rising up from the dark
Some kind of strength I've never had

Though I'd trade it in a second
To have you back
I gotta try to make some good out of the bad.