There have been several occasions lately where things have been “touch and go,” as I say, with my dad, who is suffering from terminal esophageal cancer. For some of those “touch and go” situations, my siblings and I have found ourselves, with our dad, at MD Anderson, the largest cancer center in the world that receives millions in grants each year, pioneers cutting edge medical procedures, and makes visitors pay for parking. It’s a wonderful and hopeful and, at times, deeply dehumanizing place where, if you have the opportunity to wait long enough, miracles abound, sometimes.

We’re still in the thick of it, so this is an “in-the-thick-of-it” song about my dad and his illness and hope and impending goodbyes and waiting and action and words and silence and presence and absence. 

The image for the song is from a video of the people who raised me before they raised me. They’re waiting on the new year in 1986. Who knew what life would bring? We’re all still waiting to find out.