I confess I may be the only person on the planet who does not revere the The Beatles.  We had to sing “Eleanor Rigby” in elementary school and it STILL haunts me.  I literally run if I hear that awful tune or “Yellow Submarine”.  The relatively new jargon “ear worm” comes to mind.  However, I have always liked “Hey Jude”.  But the song that has been weighing heavily and comfortingly on me lately is “Let It Be”.  I had no idea it was Marian until a few years ago.  Statistically I think this is the time of year when there are the most deaths in general as well as suicides.  There is the stress and pressure of in-laws and dysfunctional families for some and the crippling loneliness of loved ones lost for others.  There is also a certain melancholy for me that creeps up with the ending of each year.  Retired Anglican Archbishop and Nobel Peace Prize recipient The Most Reverend Desmond Tutu said, “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”  And now the lyrics to The Beatles song I suppose everyone knows:

“Let It Be”

When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

And when the broken-hearted people
Living in the world agree
There will be an answer, let it be
For though they may be parted
There is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Yeah, there will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be
Ah, let it be, yeah, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

And when the night is cloudy
There is still a light that shines on me
Shine on until tomorrow, let it be
I wake up to the sound of music,
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah, let it be
Oh, there will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be