Everything I Do...
A story about life & death, that I originally shared on this day, August 7, in 2009.
I heard that a family member of a friend committed suicide recently, and since then, this other story that happened years ago, is on my mind.
I don't really remember knowing anybody around me who did such a thing - no, there was one woman I knew when I was in high school, and I think that was all.
But I do have such a story to tell - actually, two, this is one of them, the second one I will tell you another time.
A couple of years back (around 2001-02 or so) I was living in Zürich, Switzerland and busking a lot - you know, singing in the streets for money. It was also good for getting other gigs.
On a Sunday early evening, I was singing in the old town and I noticed a boy maybe around 20, was listening to me for a long time. He would be just standing there in a corner. After I finished, he came up to me and asked if I would sing at funerals as well. He wanted to book me: his girlfriend juts took her life that day...
It was puzzling for everybody who knew her, because she was such a high spirit, lively girl.
The boy asked me to sing Everything I do, I Do It For You from Brian Adams, because that was the girl's favorite song, and one more song of my choice.
So I went to the church of his village and did 2 songs. Before the first one, Everything I Do, I saw a lot of crying faces, very sad.
But as I was singing doing the second one (My Heart Will Go On from Céline Dion), there were still a lot of tears, but people were sitting there with heads a bit higher up, so were their spirits, I could even see grateful almost-smiles. A feel of relief was growing in the air.
After the ceremony I exchanged a few words with the boy, the parents and a few other family members: I expressed my condolences and they did their thanks for lifting up these very difficult moments and soothing their hearts.
It was a bitter-sweet moment: I was sad about the senseless passing of a lovely, young girl and in the same time, happy about being able to give the family something that eased their pain.
Watch video: Everything I do, I do It For You - Brian Adams Live
Look into my eyes and you will see
What you mean to me
Search your heart, search your soul
And when you find me there you'll search no more
Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for
You know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you
Look into your heart, you will find
There's nothin' there to hide
Take me as I am, take my life
I would give it all, I would sacrifice
Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more
Ya know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you
There's no love like your love
And no other could give more love
There's nowhere unless you're there
All the time, all the way
Oh - you can't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
I can't help it, there's nothin' I want more
I would fight for you, I'd lie for you
Walk the wire for you, yeah I'd die for you
You know it's true
Everything I do, I do it for you
And the second story will be about how I saved a friend from committing suicide...
-- Andrea Gerák
(Unfortunately I can't show you any beautiful photos from gorgeous Zürich or Switzerland at all: can you imagine: I was living there for 3 years without any camera at all...
Cover photo: Clearwater Beach Florida, 2007 October.)
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I am still learning how this Substack thing works, so I might change the lines below later, accordingly:
If you like my work and want to support, there are several ways to do that.
A) For a singer, the best support of course, is booking her for shows,
B) Listen to and download her songs
C) You can also throw some love at PayPal.me/GerakAndrea, or
D) Bank transfer: IBAN: HU46 120105320021373500100000 SWIFT: UBRTHUHBXXX Raiffeisen Bank, Gerák Andrea
Thank you very much, Andrea & Karma will love you forever!