Because there is nothing that adds more to hurt than being alone with it. Because grief, loss, sadness and trauma will not go away by ignoring them, and shame will only multiply if we keep hiding it. Because no one needs to hear “it can’t have been that bad” or “don’t you think it’s time to move on?”  or “I’m sure you’re imagining things” or, worst of all, any variation of “you had it coming” (including “I told you so”). Because when it comes to heartbreak or despair, we have all been there. If we have not, then we will surely get there at some point in our lives – and when we do, what we need to hear are words of compassion, empathy and acknowledgement. We need to hear them from others, and we desperately need to hear them from ourselves.

Witness is the first song that my husband Wouter and I wrote together. Lyrics are mine, music is his. The recording you are listening to was made at my Love Wins-concert in October 2016. This is a work in progress, meaning that the general melody will probably stay the same but the piano track is up for revision and the vocal interpretation needs some work. I am sharing it now for two reasons: firstly, because I think the message of the song is an important one, and second, to get over my fear of sharing things that are not polished (or even necessarily finished for that matter). It will be finished and polished one day, however, and I will share it again when that day comes.