The (short) Shine On Story

(photo courtesy of www.grcmc.org)

After we lost Isaac, a song became an anthem, a source of comfort and courage and solidarity. It became a mission, a message, and homage. It was an organic evolution, naturally flowing toward us in our river of grief. Isaac’s soul sista, Bailey Barnes, asked us if she could sing the song at Isaac’s service. From that moment, forward, it took on a life of its own.

But the truth is, that was always it’s intention.

When May Erlewine wrote that song, she said it came through her, for the people. That song has meant so much to so many. And we have been so grateful to adopt this as our own expression of hope. From the word go, we asked humbly for her permission. We respect May so much as an artist, a creator, but also as a woman who has learned what shining on means for her, personally. As a mama who feeds her baby girl with the blood sweat and tears of her creativity and of the life experiences that lend themselves to such carefully curated messages for the masses.

We’ve used Shine On for shirts, stickers, marketing materials and hashtags. So we felt it was an appropriate expression of gratitude to present May with a check for $500 on behalf of IJLF and a commitment to giving her 10% of our yearly sales of Shine On gear. This just might have been one of our favorite things to do so far. Thank you, May.

Shine On Lyrics by May Erlewine

Knocked me off of my feet
But I think it’s time for me to start walking again,
Stop running away from things.
Next time you see me,
I will be singing a new song/
I am learning to shine on.

Shine on, shine on,
There’ll be time enough for darkness when everything’s gone.
Shine on, shine on,
There is work to be done in the dark before dawn.

It’s been hard not to give in,
And it ain’t easy living in hard times.
I know it’s weighing on your mind.
Next time you see me,
I’ll be uplifting, yes I will give you hope!
I am learning as I go to shine on.

Shine on, shine on.
There’ll be time enough for darkness before everything’s gone.
Shine on, shine on,
There is work to be done in the dark before dawn.

I know how dark it seems,
Feel it coming up inside of me,
And I feel it in you too, in everything you do.
Next time you see me,
We’ll both be laughing, oh just to be alive!
We are learning to shine, shine on.

Shine on, shine on.
There’ll be time enough for darkness when everything’s gone
Shine on, shine on.
There is work to be done in the dark before dawn.

There is work to be done,
So you you’ve got to shine on.

source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/d/daisymayerlewinelyrics/shineonlyrics.html