Yesterday

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now I need a place to hide away. Oh I believe in yesterday.

Suddenly people, I ain’t half the man I used to be. There’s a heavy, heavy shadow hanging over me.

Yesterday came too suddenly.

I was listening to a Marvin Gaye documentary when I heard Marvin sing this familiar song. From the first mournful note, my thoughts immediately turned to my dad, who past from this life last week.

I’ve heard this song performed by many different artists. But never like this. Marvin has that once in a generation way of channeling his own deepest pain into his music, so that it touches men’s souls.

The pain in his voice, as smooth and soulful as it was, arrested me right away. He had me with the first moan. And I remembered my father, for the first time since he died, beyond cancer and dementia. I remembered him young and strong, before time and this world robbed him of both.

I lost the battle with my tears and my emotions enveloped me in a torrent of memories. I found myself humming along with Marvin. Yes, I too believe in yesterday.

But if all I believed in was yesterday, the grief would soon consume me. For all of us, yesterday has a powerful grip, because we have loved deeply. Yet men cannot live on memories. Without hope, memories sweetly devour.

I am grateful to the Lord that yesterday is not the only day I have. Yes, I believe in yesterday, but I believe more in Resurrection Day. That’s the day I hope for. The day I long for. Because of Resurrection Day, I can sing with Marvin, and surrender to my tears. But now my memories don’t devour, they sweetly preserve. And on that day, all my troubles will, surely, be so far away.

Oh I believe in Resurrection Day.