Amidst our current pandemic, in these most difficult and trying of times, when sometimes things seem as if all is lost, with the dysfunction and division extant in America just down south, with the passing of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and, locally, with this morning’s revelation by Charlie Smith in the newspaper where he has been the publication’s respected editor since 1991, The Georgia Straight, that Raymond Young, long one of our city’s and our nation’s most esteemed lawyers, whose practice focuses on all things municipal, recommending that Green Party of Vancouver City Councillor Michael Wiebe resign his seat on Council, arising from an egregious conflict of interest … well, these are not easy times for Michael, one imagines in particular today, nor for any of us.
Yesterday, I scrapped a Stories of a Life column I had written that, in essence, held my daughter to account for not using her many gifts to make a difference in the world that would benefit us all — if there was ever a person capable of achieving such, it is my very bright and compassionate daughter, Megan. The column was neither hopeful nor helpful — and who needs that given our current dire collective societal circumstance?
With that thought in mind, I looked to publish something today that is possessed of hopefulness, something inspiring and life affirming, and that has been for me much of last year and all of this year, the début of sisters Mimi & Josefin — the daughters of soprano Hélène Lindqvist, and music professor Philipp Vogler — on the German version of The Voice Kids, whose harmonies in their unique and compelling rendition of Thom Yorke and Radiohead’s 1993 hit, Creep, is both transporting and almost otherworldy.
So, without further adieu, Mimi & Josy …
