Songs
Walk in the Light (2007)
This piece was originally written for an American Cancer Society Relay for Life. It has made friends among people who are experiencing grief, and has been used at many funeral and memorial services, and most recently at The Compassionate Friends National Conference. It speaks to the universality of the experience of grief and the difficulty of overcoming it. It doesn't really answer the questions "why?" or "how?", but provides strength for those moving on. It also speaks to cherishing and respecting the person who has left us, and continuing to live in the love that was experienced, because that love never dies.
Shining Stars, Guiding Hope (2011)
This piece was specifically written for the 2011 The Compassionate Friends National Conference. It was written in memory of Kristina "Nina" Westmoreland, my niece whose life was taken in an automobile accident, and is dedicated to Nina's mother, Cathy Seehuetter. The lyrics describe the experience of loss and the cacophony of things that are happening within loved ones during the initial grief period. It also reflects the hope of finding a "new normal," knowing that the grief will always be there, but drawing strength from the love of the person who has left your life and those who are still with you.
Let the Children Come to Me (1985)
I wrote this song as a bookend and recognition of my friend's 50 year vocation of love as a teacher of small children. It reflects on her life of service as influenced by the Gospel.
Empty Bowls (2004)
I wrote this piece to be performed at an Empty Bowls fundraiser. Empty Bowls is one of the many grassroots movements that help to feed people in our communities. The song was written with physical hunger in mind, but it also reflects on the fact that we experience different types of hunger in our lives. At events like Empty Bowls, friends and communities come together to help those who are hungry, and in the process have their own hunger for justice and compassion met.
Jamie's Song (1981)
I wrote this song while working on a fundraiser for Camp Indian Chief, a resident camp and respite center for families with developmentally disabled children. It is a portrait of a fictional family dealing with the idea of perspective, articulating both the pain and joy of raising a child who is "not like the others".
Je m'envole ("I Fly Away") (2004)
This song was written in collaboration with my daughter, Jen Westmoreland Bouchard. It is a bilingual (French and English) meditation on the themes introspection and journey. The lyrics speak to the importance of taking time to reflect on the world and our places in it.
Come, O Come (1978/2009)
This is an advent song of hope, reflecting on the three comings of Christ: as a child, in our hearts, and at the end of time. In 2009, I had the pleasure of recording it with the music ministers of my home parish, St. Hubert's Catholic Church in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
