The Rock recalls the experience of sharing and listening used by the California Wind Children when experiencing friction and conflict.  The song, written and sung by Laura Bohler and Erik Swerrie, give a glimpse into how it powerful sharing freely, listening (whether you fully agree or not), to understand differences and then working together to collaborate to integrate all of these shared truths.  This was one of the foundations of the powerful community of the Wind Children.  Copyright 2021

The Rock

Life gives us our challenges. But life can still be good, and we can make it.

What We're Living Through

If New Year's Resolutions don't work any better for you than they do for me, you might want to try out this approach!

Planting Flowers
           Words and Music by Erik Swerrie

“What'cha you doin', Mamma?”  Asked the little one,
As her mother pulled the weeds and turned the soil,
“I'm letting air and water and the sunlight in,
So Spring will bring us beautiful colored joy,”
“How do you know what's gonna grow, Mamma, will be beautiful?”
Mommy smiled, touched the little nose and said, “'Cause I'm Planting Flowers!”

Whether or not you see it,  We're always planting seeds,
So eventually Time will reveal, The flowers or the weeds,
It's just the way the world works,  Though it seems like Magical Powers,
So if your seeds are gonna grow,  You might as well be Planting Flowers

“What's the matter daddy?”  Asked the little one,
As her father clicked the TV off with a long, long sigh,
“Oh, last year was a hard one, darlin', 'n it looks like more to come,
“But don't you let it bother you, 'cause we'll be alright,”
“I'm not bothered Daddy, Momma's fixing that for us,”
And from the lap she climbed into she said, “'Cause Momma's Planting Flowers!”

Whether or not you see it,  We're always planting seeds,
Eventually Time will reveal, To us what we believe,
It's the way The Heart works,  It just looks like Magic Powers,
So if your seeds are gonna grow,  You might as well be Planting Flowers,
Planting Flowers

A seed holds the future in it's heart,   
And flowers hold the light deep in their roots,
So when it blooms the flower holds the one and only moment that there is,
For me and you,

Whether or not you see it,  We're always planting seeds,
So eventually Time will reveal, To us what we believe,
It's just the way the Heart works,  Though it seems like Magic Powers,  
So if your seeds are gonna grow,  You might as well be Planting Flowers

Even if you've yet to understand,  Our Hearts still have these powers
Yeah, since our seeds are gonna grow we might as well be Planting Flowers,        
Planting Flowers,
So Let's Plant Flowers..... 
Copyright 2022, Erik A. Swerrie

Planting Flowers

For my son whom I miss and will always love.  He passed so young and unexpectedly.  
David Alexander Swerrie  9/3/93 – 4/15/23

I Don't Want To Say Goodbye
             Words and Music by Erik Swerrie
   
For all the promise and opportunity we're given,
Things don't always work out as we planned,
This world can be wonderful and beautiful to live in,
And yet troubling and hard to understand

   I know sometimes you struggled, 
   Though you rarely revealed why,
   Wish you'd seen more of the wonder,
   Than what troubled you in life

And I Don't Want To Say Goodbye

The baby you I held, made our family complete,
You brought fun and playfulness into our lives,
And all the thoughtful points of view, that you helped me see,
I wish we could talk about many more times

   I admired your deep thinking,
   And your will to be yourself,
   But ironically, you seemed to yield,
   So much to everyone else               

I Don't Want To Say Goodbye

   Sad now beyond what I have ever known,
   New experience is good, but this I would not have chosen,

   I saw that big black crow you sent to look me in the eye, 
   Who then flew off into the setting sun, as if to wave good bye,
              
But I Don't Want To Say Goodbye
No, I Don't Want To Say Goodbye

Copyright 2023, Erik A. Swerrie

I Don't Want To Say Goodbye

Copyright 2023, Erik A. Swerrie
Celebrating years of great family, friends and music.
Lyrics:

Friends
                Words and Music by Erik A. Swerrie
Been a song on my mind, as far back as I remember,
Back to the time when I first opened my eyes,
It’s a song about hopes and dreams, about the future, workin’,
Shoulder to shoulder, day to day!

Friends, somehow it’s all that matters,
In the end, that we are friends!
And I know that time goes by, like a lazy river,
But love’s a bridge between us, Friends!

Seen a picture in my mind, of a sight not quite forgotten,
And when I dream, I see it right before my eyes,
It’s a picture of long weekends, and holidays together, playin’,
Time for fun and time to fly, away with...

Friends, somehow it’s all that matters,
In the end, that we are friends!
And I know that time goes by, like a lazy river,
But love’s a bridge between us, Friends!

A never ending story writes itself for me,
Another day, another page, 
Another chance to sing that,
	
Song on my mind, so far I can’t remember,
Back to the time when I first opened my eyes,
It’s a song about hopes and dreams, about the future, singin’,
Shoulder to shoulder, day to day, together,

Friends, somehow it’s all that matters,
In the end, that we are friends!
And I know that time goes by, like a lazy river,
But love’s a bridge between us, 
Friends, somehow it’s all that matters,
In the end, that we are friends!
And I know that time goes by, like a lazy river,
But love’s a bridge between us, Friends!

Friends

Eventually, we each find ourselves needing to apologize.  It can be hard to find the right words.  But speak from the heart, or maybe sing from the heart....

What Can I Say
                 Words and Music by Erik Swerrie

What Can I say when there’s a cloud in your sky,
And I’m the one who’s blocking the sun?
What can I do when there is rain in your eye,
And I’m to blame when your smile is gone?

     Oh but I love you more today,
     Than I’ve loved you any day,
     And I’m sorry that I haven’t always shown that to you

What can I do to make the flowers grow,
And bring the sun to warm your soul?
What can I say to see your smile reappear,
Just like the dawn sends away the cold?

     You know I love you more today,
     Than I’ve loved you any other day,
     And I’m sorry that I haven’t always,
     Been the way and done the things,
     That make you sure that you’re the one for me

     You know I love you more today,
     Than I’ve loved you any other day,
     And I’m sorry that I haven’t always,
     Been the way and done the things,
     That make you sure that you’re the one for me,
     You’re the one for me

Copyright 2023, Erik A Swerrie

What Can I Say?

A Folk Christmas Carol about, what else?  The Greatest Gift 

Words and Music by Erik Swerrie
Copyright, Erik A. Swerrie

Lyrics:

The Greatest Gift

Sit around a fire on the ground,
Give a gift, and pass the love around,
On a cold Winter’s night, amid angel song and bright starlight,
The gift of love and life is to be found

The Greatest Gift of any age,
Lies in a stable, in the hay,
And the angels did sing, a baby born to be the king,
Would bring The Greatest Gift to us one day!

Oooh, Oooh,  Oooh

The gifts of earthly kings received,
A hint of glory yet perceived,
For the King of Kings is far beyond imaginings,
And gives the gift of love eternally

So pass The Greatest Gift around,
Sing a song, and listen to the sound,
Like the angels who sing, our voices raised to Christ the King,
Will light the night with love that He sends down

Oooh, Oooh,  Oooh

The Greatest Gift,  The Greatest Gift,
The Greatest Gift,  The Greatest Gift

The Greatest Gift

Words and Music by Erik Swerrie
Copyright, Erik A. Swerrie

How do we navigate this crazy world?  With so many people saying so many things, finding the truth is harder than ever.  But perhaps it's not impossible....

Lyrics:
Open Heart
    
We're all sitting at this line, 
Waiting for a change,
But staring out this window to the world from our pockets,
When the light turns green, will anybody notice?
  
Used to be the war 'tween good and bad,  
We knew the sane from the mad,
But when everything is spinning like a devil of dust,
When the word is given, will we even know it?
  
Where does the choice lie between a lie and a lie?
Or do we just hope that everybody else is right?
  
Where do we begin with so much to take in?
What can we do with so much to lose?
'N when time comes to, how do we choose?
Maybe the answer starts in our Open Hearts 
  
Everybody wants to be accepted, 
For the truth we each bring,
Except when nobody accepts the exception,
What to we expect, Is gonna happen?
  
Fear brings our fight to survive, 
Defend our right to be alive,
But when we've taken out everything that we've ever feared,
Will the loneliness, be our destination?
  
How do we think the thought that's never been thought?
Or win the battle with nobody having fought?
  
When you begin, take it all in,
All you can do, is think it all through,
When you make your choice, hear your own voice,
Trust that the answer starts in your Open Heart
  
What if we destroy the answer we all need,
'Cause when it arrived, it wasn't what we expected to see?
  
So, to begin, take it all in,
All you can do, is try to think it all through,
'N when you make your choice, listen to your true voice,
Trust that the answer starts, in your Open Heart
  
Yes, when you begin, take it all in,
All you can do, is all you can do,
When you make your choice, listen to your own voice,
Trust that the answer starts in your Open Heart 
Yes, trust in the beauty you are, in your Open Heart

Open Heart

Although I wrote and sang this Christmas song years ago, I just recorded it and made a video this year, 2024.  And since the story is relevant every year, I get to enjoy it again.  I hope you do too!

A Cold and Starry Night
                        
Such a quiet night,
As soft as candlelight,
But just another night,
Another Cold and Starry Night

Such a tiny Child,
As sweet as Mother’s smile,
But just another child,
Born on another Cold and Starry Night

But this was not an ordinary child or an ordinary night,
There was magic in the air,
There was music everywhere,
And God surely watched, the world in its sleep,
And God surely smiled

Can’t you almost hear the music?
Can’t you almost see the light?
Can’t you almost feel the way they must have felt on that night!

And like the way the seasons turn around,
There’s a meaning to be found,
As Spring fades into Fall,
It’s not surprising at all,
That God would save, the world in its sleep,
Through one tiny Child!

Can’t you almost hear the music?
Can’t you almost see the light?
Can’t you almost feel the way they must have felt on that night!

Can’t you almost hear the music?
Can’t you almost see the light?
Can’t you almost feel the way they must have felt at the sight!

Tonight’s a quiet night,
As soft as candlelight,
But just another night,
Is it just another Cold and Starry Night?

Copyright, Erik A. Swerrie

A Cold And Starry Night

Disagreement is natural and normal.  Dialog is essential to collaboration.  But will we work together, or will  we be Antimatter?

Lyrics:
Antimatter
                 
The Ocean is deep and salty, We're all in, over our heads,
You've got your periscope, 'n I've got mine,
We're each looking for safe harbor, but we're pointed different ways,
So we see different answers at different times

And we want it so much we will not be denied,
“Cause if we want it that much, it must be right

So we're like Antimatter, if we touch we destroy each other,
And everything else that matters, Anything that gets in our way, Oh oh oh oh,
We're like Antimatter 

And now the whole world is watching, and our souls are on the line,
'Cause who are we if not the role we play?
Good people stand for something,  And we're running out of time,
But we're drowning in a sea of all we say

Though we know that something's wrong deep down inside,
Can't take the risk of looking compromised

And we're like Antimatter, if we touch we destroy each other,
And everything else that matters, Or gets in our way, Oh oh oh oh,
We're like Antimatter 

Hatred is powerful but dangerous,
It destroys us even as it destroys our enemies,
Or you can shine your light more on what you want more of.
And less on what you want less

Or be Antimatter, if we touch we destroy each other,
And everything else that matters,   Anything that gets in our way, Oh oh oh oh,

We're like Antimatter, consuming all in an endless fire,
Is it better to burn it all down or find a peaceful way?  Oh oh oh oh,
Are we like Antimatter?         
Will we be Antimatter?           
Is that what really matters?   

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Antimatter

Songwriter – Meaningful music in Singer-Songwriter, Country/Folk/Rock and Christian genres.  Sharing with those who enjoy the songs.

Erik Swerrie Music

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