A Swift Learning

A Swift Learning

By Tammy Townsend Denny, TI Executive Director
This past weekend I was in Lake Charles, Louisiana for the Fleur de Lis District Morning of Prayer. Beth Eason, a member of the Theresians International Board of Directors and a Theresian in the S.I.S.T.E.R.S. community, hosted me at her home. During my stay with Beth, I had the opportunity to meet her 10-year-old granddaughter who is a “Swiftie” – a fan of the American pop music star Taylor Swift.

One of the things you probably don’t know about me is that my favorite people to talk to are children before teenage snarkiness takes over their brains and elderly people who have long ago left behind the snarkiness of daily life. The stories, the insights, the openness of these two groups fill my heart with hope.

Such was the case with Beth’s granddaughter who freely and graciously shared about being a Swiftie. When I asked her what her favorite song was, she said without hesitation, “marjorie” [lowercase intentional], then grabbed an iPad to let us listen to the song.

I admit that while I love talking with kids, I am a bit judgmental about pop culture. My expectations for the “marjorie” song were pretty low. The best I hoped for was a catchy beat and some sappy, meaningless lyrics.

But as I soon learned from Beth’s granddaughter, “marjorie” is a tribute to Taylor Swift’s grandmother, a lament of sorts. The song begins with some grandmotherly beatitude-like phrases:

“Never be so kind, you forget to be clever
Never be so clever, you forget to be kind.”
 
And verse or so later, there are a few more beatitudes:

“Never be so polite, you forget your power
Never wield such power, you forget to be polite.”
 
Within the lyrics of this pop song, I was surprised to hear a powerful message of resurrection, though I don’t know if that was Taylor Swift’s intention. She sings, “What died didn’t stay dead… You’re alive, so alive.”

For me, the song brought to mind images of the disciples. Is this something they would have sung after the crucifixion? Are these words Mary Magdalene might have written?   

I invite you to set aside any judgment you might have about pop music and listen to “marjorie.” See what emerges for you. God’s message of love and hope can show up in some surprising places if you’re willing to open your heart and mind and listen.

Continued prayers for you on your Lenten journey!