“Go in Peace” by Sam Baker

One of the elders sang this song as the benediction at church tonight, and it has stayed with me. I’m struck by how rich in metaphor this simple lyric is.

We “go into the dark” not only at night, but every time we move forward into something new. Every morning. Each new person. Each new venture. But also with each loss, as we deal with a new “normal.” When we try to resolve an issue. When we make a change.

To move forward “not afraid” is not always easy. The world can be a dangerous place. To remind ourselves that we are “not alone” is also not easy. We often feel that way.

And just as Robert Frost did in “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening,” Baker emphasizes his final metaphor with a simple repetition:

Let us hope by some good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home.

For the record, I want this song sung at my funeral. At the end.