The Days Between.....

"There were days, there were days, and there were days between
Summer flies and August dies and the world grows dark and mean"


Yesterday began what Grateful Dead fans term 'the days between'.  Named after one of the later songs Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter wrote, the days between refer to the time span between Jerry Garcia's birthday on August 1st, and the day he died, August 9th.  These days have come to be an occasion for Deadheads.  Many find them reflective and introspective.  The mythos behind it reminds me of the time period that Demeter mourned her daughter Persephone's loss in Greek mythology, when she refused to allow the seasons to change, or of the period Christians believe to be have occurred between Christ's death and resurrection. Much like the Hanged Man tarot card, to me the days between are a pregnant pause,  a moment of stasis, of waiting for the inevitable. Once it is past, all begins again.  


My father died during the days between, on August 3rd.  I find this fitting.  My dad was a deadhead back in the 60s, back when the Dead played free concerts in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, where my dad was living in a commune.  After my friends saw a picture of him in his hippie heyday, they began calling him Jerry because they thought he looked like Jerry Garcia.  (He in turn called them 'Jerry's kids' in a reference to Jerry Lewis' work with muscular dystrophy--not very PC, but very much my dad).  My dad was the one who told me about Jerry Garcia's death.  We both took it hard.  

Our culture has a hard time with grief and loss.  We like to keep ourselves busy, to avoid thinking about or feeling that which causes us pain.  But I like the idea of taking advantage of moments like the days between to find some sort of remembrance.  This can be quiet remembrance, or celebratory.  The days between are a reminder that even as we suffer losses, life continues and moves on.  And as we celebrate periods of joy, moments of pain lurk just around the corner.  It's a reminder to live despite this, to feel the pain, to find the joy.  It's a moment to remember those we loved and lost.   To quote Robert Hunter's lyrics, it's a moment to love and learn and grow.

It's also a beautiful song.  well worth listening to.  I posted the lyrics below.  May we all continue to love and learn and grow.  

Days Between
Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Jerry Garcia


There were days, and there were days
And there were days between
Summer flies and August dies
The world grows dark and mean
Comes the shimmer of the moon
On black infested trees
The singing man is at his song
The holy on their knees
The reckless are out wrecking
The timid plead their pleas
No one knows much more of this
Than anyone can see
Anyone can see

There were days, and there were days
And there were days besides
When phantom ships with phantom sails
Set to sea on phantom tides
Comes the lightning of the sun
On bright unfocused eyes
The blue of yet another day
A springtime wet with sighs
A hopeful candle lingers
In the land of lullabies
Where headless horsemen vanish
With wild and lonely cries
Lonely cries

There were days, and there were days
And there were days I know
When all we ever wanted
Was to learn and love and grow
Once we grew into our shoes
We told them where to go
Walked halfway around the world
On promise of the glow
Stood upon a mountain top
Walked barefoot in the snow
Gave the best we had to give
How much we'll never know
We'll never know

There were days, and there were days
And there were days between
Polished like a golden bowl
The finest ever seen
Hearts of Summer held in trust
Still tender young and green
Left on shelves collecting dust
Not knowing what they mean
Valentines of flesh and blood
As soft as velveteen
Hoping love would not forsake
The days that lie between
Lie between