And still there is light
for solo flute
AIDS has left empty spaces between us. It has broken our hearts. It has cost us so much beauty and brilliance that should be here now. But, when we remember those we have lost, we can reclaim the beauty. We can revive the brilliance. We can celebrate who they were. Whether their dreams were big or small, we can share them. Share what they believed was possible. Share who and what they loved. Share that they were loved. When we remember them now, even if we never knew them then, we can begin to fill the empty spaces with kindness, hope, and love. As we collect these memories and pass them on, we will connect with others and know without a doubt that the beauty, brilliance, and love that seemed lost lives on in all of us.
And still there is light was written for my friend Nave Graham and in memory of William Carroll Coffey. Nave performed the premiere of the work at the University of Central Arkansas on October 1, 2024 at a remembrance ceremony during The AIDS Memorial Quilt’s visit to the campus.
–Blake Tyson