I want to share something extremely special with you today. Something that shows not just the strength of sharing our words but the power and impact our words have.
I’ll often say that we never know who we are reaching and that our audience may be silently watching; but sometimes we get to see how we have connected and how we are reaching other people’s hearts.
The following story shows how we have so much to offer this world and how working together can create something beautiful.
Stephanie Phillips, founder, World Childless Week
During World Childless Week I received the following email from Elly Kellner:
These words by Haneefah Muhammad really clicked with me: Never Forget by Haneefah Muhammad (see below)
Now I write my own words for songs and melodies, I have over 1000 songs written. But today was like the third time ever that I saw words from someone else and it sparked a melody in me. This is a rare occasion for me. I may be overstepping a line here but I actually just now recorded a melody to Haneefah Muhammad's words.
I wondered if you might be able to pass it on to her? I recorded it partially because it helps my own process but also because I hoped she might like it.
I knew Elly was a talented singer/songwrite having received her submission for World Childless Week (I Could Have Made A Child) but hearing her voice and music to Haneefah’s poem blew me away. I shed tears whilst listening to the emotion, the meaning and the love held within the words.
I forwarded Elly’s email to Haneefah who responded with:
I'm tearing up too as I'm humbled & delighted that my words have touched you and Elly as I was touched as they were coming from my soul onto my notepad. Elly's voice & instrumentals are soooooo beautiful & for me they sing the story of my words exquisitely.
I'm still in shock even as I'm typing this to you.
I will message Elly to thank her for her 'gift' to me and will send out hope that the words will continue to help with her healing journey too.
I felt privileged to be witness to this interaction and asked if they would give me their permission to share this unique exchange and soundtrack. Elly and Haneefah both readily agreed and their following words sum up my thoughts perfectly.
Yes absolutely, I think it will be nice also for others to see how people can 'join forces' and how it can become a positive snowball effect. Someone reads a story and is touched, someone hears a song and heals a little bit / can sing along and work through the pain (is how I do it with my own songs). Or in this case I read the words and was inspired to turn it into a song.
I think this week is a massive positive snowball effect!
Elly
I'd be very pleased for you to share the poem and song after WCW to show what we can achieve together.
Haneefah
Never Forget
You never spoke but I heard you
We never met but I held you
You never ate but I fed you
You never walked but I led you.
You never cried but I wiped your tears
You were never scared but I knew your fears
You never asked but I always knew
You never appeared but I knew it was you.
You never tripped but I kissed your knee
You never called ‘mama’ but you cried for me
You never felt my hugs but you knew my touch
You never knew you would mean so much.
You are the child I wanted so desperately
You are the child I held so tenderly
You are the child I watched so lovingly
You are the child who still lives inside me.
You are the child I saw in my dreams
You are the child who fulfilled my needs
You are the child I never met
You are the child I will never forget.
Haneefah Muhammad
Image credit: Photo by Hello I'm Nik 🎞 on Unsplash