I Might Find Some Comfort Here

The Story Behind the Song, “I Might Find Some Comfort Here”

Okay, this is where I have a hard time breathing and the memories flood in. A few years ago a great friend by the name of Rick was working with me to complete a building that I was working on. (I’ve been doing the “real estate thing” for the past 12 years to be able to afford my ‘music habit.’ Well, Rick was and is a great friend. We got to know his great little family and grew to love them very much.

One hot and very memorable day Rick didn’t show up. I wondered what was going on. I then received a phone call that haunts me to this day. It was Rick. He was at the hospital. He had accidentally backed over his daughter with his car.

No amount of words can describe the horrible scene that was in my head as he wept in agony looking for some kind of comfort. Over the next couple of days this beautiful little girl named ‘Heaven’ returned to her Heavenly Father.

I was asked by the family if I would sing at the funeral. I can’t tell you how difficult that was. They asked me to come up with something. I of course said yes, and went to work arranging some hymns. After the funeral I gave Rick and his wife a huge hug and told them that I would love to write a song for them. They were gracious and said they would be honored.

I have struggled for years to find the right words. What do you tell a parent and how do you sing about this kind of tragedy to bring comfort to them? Year after year went by and finally I built the home where my studio now sits. I love having the studio in my home because I get a ton of inspiration late at night.

One night as I was tucking my little girls in bed it hit me as I was walking through the door of their room. I turned around and just stared at their little beds as I sat there silently in the doorway. What if they weren’t there? What if it had been my child? My eyes welled up with tears as I thought of Rick and others that have walked by their children’s empty rooms. I was again devastated by the thought. I walked down to the studio and fell to my knees and offered a prayer to God to comfort those who are dealing with such a tragedy in their lives.

The words to this song and the song that follows it “This is Heaven” came right to me. I could hear it in my head and I couldn’t write fast enough to keep up with the inspiration that I was feeling.

The first song of the two, “I might find some comfort here” was my feelings of a Father or Mother that look to Heaven and ask why as they try to gain the understanding and comfort that can only come from God. As I was writing the music behind the lyrics I questioned if what I was writing was good enough. I struggled to even like the sound of my own voice at the time. I needed some time to think. It was a Saturday and I thought I might want to go down to the Mall and just walk around… (This is a ritual that my wife Heather has trained me to do with her.) Any way, I got to the Mall. I started walking and I really thought that this song I had written the night before was not good enough or perhaps it just didn’t hit the mark. I was a little frustrated.

As I was walking out of the Mall I noticed a middle aged woman walking somberly down the middle of the isle. She was walking in the opposite direction that I was and she was clutching a big stuffed “Sponge Bob” doll. I thought it was a bit interesting that she was holding on to the doll so tightly, but more than that I could see in her eyes a look that was so sad. The light came on for me. I felt as though I should talk to her. So with my enthusiastic grin and a quick step to get in front of her I said: “Nice Sponge Bob doll!” She walked past me for a few steps and then whipped around and said, “Thanks.” We just stared at each other for a second. I felt a little uncomfortable and tried to think of something to say. She chimed in to save my further embarrassment. She told me it was a doll for her grandson. She said that he just loved Sponge Bob cartoons. All I could come up with is “so do I” and then she hit me with the real story. Her daughter had just died a few days ago. She was trying to comfort her son and those around her as she herself did all she could do deal with this great personal loss.

I was stunned. I was in the mall looking for inspiration and then this wonderful lady came walking down the mall. So, I told her about the song I was writing. She asked me to sing a little bit of it to her. I did, and she just started crying. We talked and talked until an hour had gone by. Her poor husband who had been waiting in the car was walking through the mall frantically trying to find her. What he found was two people crying, and hugging each other. He was a little unsure of what to make of me at first.

She explained the meeting and then asked me to tell him of the song and songs I am writing. Pretty soon we had 3 people in the mall crying and laughing and hugging. It was one of the neatest Spiritual feelings I have ever had. What an incredible blessing it is to look at someone and tell them of your belief and faith that life has a greater meaning than meets the eye. I got to hear their heart felt story of how comfort had only come at this time from God our Father, and they knew that.

I felt reassured that I was on the right path with this song. I have had so many other experiences since then that have fortified in me a belief that there is life after death. In fact there is no death in Christ, just a passing from one state to another. Life without God would be meaningless. Our love does not die at the passing of a loved one. No, God in all his wisdom has given us this life to grow and love together. We will be together again after a short while. This life is but a fraction in time compared to eternity. I really know this is true. Comfort can be ours and God will give it to us if we ask him.

~Jared