That beautiful human being pictured above is Songja Ono (aka “Song”).

I didn’t really know Songja, but her mom (whom I affectionately call “Aunt Catherine”) I know well. Many late night talks over pizza at a Beacon Hill bar will make you feel close to someone. I know Aunt Catherine to be a strong, fierce woman and I never doubted that Songja inherited her mother’s strength.

So when I found out she was sick, I believed she would absolutely get better… because sometimes we forget that spiritual strength and physical strength aren’t the same. We forget that much of what happens in this world is completely out of our control. Also, we forget that sometimes someone so beautiful, young and full of life can die at a young age.

Songja was still alive when her mom called me to ask if I would take care of the music for her funeral. I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been for her to make that call. I was only on the receiving end of this phone call, but my head was spinning and my heart felt heavy. Even with the weight of it all, I couldn’t help but feel deeply honored. I wanted Songja to keep fighting to live. I didn’t want her mother to go through the immense suffering she was already enduring and was going to continue to endure. But I also realized that the role I was about to play, albeit small, was important.

I immediately said yes.

I wanted to do absolutely anything I could to help in this transition.

I won’t elaborate on the experience I had planning the music for Songja’s funeral. All I can say is that it helped me understand the value and importance my skills and talent play in the lives of others. It helped remind me of the meaning in what I do. My goal was to create an atmosphere of love and peace… to accept that there is sadness in losing Songja, but also remember all the beauty and goodness she gave in her life. For her loved ones, friends and family, to be able to rejoice in the life she lived.

Usually when I perform, I demand attention. But I knew that for Songja’s funeral, I needed to be completely and utterly in the background, while still affecting the mood and feeling of the environment. Initially, I wasn’t sure if I accomplished what I hoped for, but the lovely letter I received from Aunt Catherine gave me confidence that I did my job well. Here is an excerpt:

Songja’s funeral was probably the most touching experience I’ve had so far in my own life. She is the main contributing factor of course, because if you knew her and the kind of person she was, you would know she was a truly remarkable person. I’m honored to have played a part in it, and to have been able to contribute in the challenging transition her family faced in her passing. I don’t wish for these opportunities to present themselves to me… but I’m grateful that being a musician allows me to give back to the world in a meaningful way.

-SE