I Can Be Peace

by Shawna Carol

In January 2020, on a rainy day in Kauai, Shawna’s successor, Daniel Nelson, gifted me this beautiful song as well as stories about Shawna, his mentor and friend, who had passed away only a few months earlier after living with Parkinson’s Disease for many years. Since I work with voice and people with Parkinson’s, Daniel and I both felt very touched that I had so narrowly missed meeting Shawna, but I’m delighted to get to know her through her beautiful songs.

This was the last live song I taught anew in Living Room Choir before Shelter-in-Place went into effect. We also learned the American Sign Language to go with the English (optional to all choir members, of course, to add this piece on.) Interpreter Lindsay Evans helped me with my translation, and I will post an instructional video of the ASL for those who want it.

In a time when so much is certain, one thing we can choose to do is be peace, in all our actions – especially the little every day ones. Together, these actions add up, and ripple out, to share peace throughout the world. It is a blessing and a wish, in song form.

A note on the arrangement:
The melody is Shawna’s. The harmony is by a friend of hers; I made some slight adjustments, however, and added my own additional ones at the end during the repetition.

ALL:
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Melody:

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Harmony:

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