There are some moments in life that leave us at a complete loss of words as we struggle to make any sense of them.
This week, the Darien community was faced with such a difficult tragedy.
As a husband and father of five, it is impossible for the death of Kevin Murphy to not have affected every single one of us in Darien. If we don’t know the Murphys, it is likely we know someone who does — and all of our hearts are heavy for what they must be going through right now.
According to his family, in addition to his tremendous love for his wife and children, and for running, and history — Mr. Murphy will be remembered for his love of Bruce Springsteen.
In the opening song at the concert after Sept. 11, Mr. Springsteen sought to reach out to an entire country — an entire world — in the face of one of those moments that made us wonder how we’d ever go on.
A song, “My City of Ruins,” that was originally about the crumbling of his beloved Asbury Park, became a prayer.
“With these hands,
I pray for the faith, Lord
We pray for your love, Lord
We pray for the lost, Lord
We pray for this world, Lord
We pray for the strength, Lord
Come on, rise up”
And it is now that the Darien community must rise up — rise in support for the Murphys, our neighbors, our friends, our family, even if it is only in a prayer in our hearts that somehow, they can seek some small amount of solace from our community’s strength.
dougbealle
March 8, 2013
I was in the same grade at DHS as one of Kevin Murphy’s kids, but didn’t know them well enough to know that Mr. Murphy was a huge Springsteen fan. But this piece very spot on, and “My City of Ruins” is so applicable. There are few songs I know and love that are more profound in the face of tragedy or sorrow, and I have cried many times when listening to this song or seeing it performed live. Whether you apply it to Asbury Park in New Jersey, the aftermath of 9/11, the loss of band members Clarence Clemons and Danny Federici, or something on a much more personal level like the loss of a loved one, this song has always had the effect on Bruce fans of soothing a hurt with the promise of revitalization through coming together. Hopefully, whether people know the song or not, the community can apply that message to this situation.