by Kaitie Ty Warren ©2020
www.KaitieTyWarren.com
Patreon.com/KaitieTy

Teaching page made 9/2024

Layer 1: Windy weather, windy weather, windy weather, wind and rain
Layer 2: The Storm is coming, you know what to do
Layer 3: Duck and cover, duck and cover
Layer 4: (harmony) Duck and cover, duck and cover
Layer 5: (The Storm is coming,) Turn inward toward the light
(Everyone ends up on Layer 5, in harmony. You can experiment with leaving out the “storm is coming part” or singing the whole phrase.)

@kaitietywarren

No idea how to build a reel so figured I’d start by singing. This one is about how to survive the sh*tstorm. Take care of yourself so you can keep showing up later. Most of these are longhaul fights. #pono #communitysinging #originalsongwriter #sing #choirteacher #originalsong #windyweather #chaos #selfcare #meditative #chant #firstreel #socialjustice #change #music #showup #blacklivesmatter #climatechangeisreal #livingroomchoir #simpleharmonies #blissfulfish

♬ original sound – Kaitie Ty

Kaitie says:
This was one of several songs that came through on my looper, in isolation, in 2020. George Floyd had been recently murd3r3d and, despite the stay-home orders still in effect in my area, folks were gathering in massive, masked-up crowds, to stand up for Black Lives Matter and other human rights. I wanted to be there. It felt like everyone was there, but me.

But I was 5 months pregnant. It was too early in the pandemic to know for sure what we learned later – that pregnant people and asthmatics (I was both) are at high risk for c0vid-related complications. But I sensed it, and I didn’t want to fuck around with my physical safety during this time.

So I stayed home. I did jigsaw puzzles, I taught online, I watched TV. I drew cartoons like the one you see here. I took care of my mental health as best I could, knowing that pregnancy wouldn’t last my whole lifetime, but that the fight for human rights probably would. And that I would need my strength, sanity, and physical wellness to show up for my child and teach my child how to show up for the world.

So we turn inward, sometimes, toward the light. When I teach this song I remind people that there’s many ways to show up for what’s happening on this planet – even, sometimes, staying home and taking care of yourself. This is not to be confused with putting your head in the sand. It is a revolutionary act to do things like rest, play, and nourish yourself.

When I first taught this song at a public level, my dad was in the audience and I dedicated this song to him. Having lived through well beyond his share of trauma and turmoil, he continues to turn inward toward the light, and has taught me the importance of knowing how to use that tool. I’m grateful for that.