The first time I heard this song, I thought it was the sweetest, most beautiful thing ever. I could definitely relate to it on some levels, because my dad worked a lot, and I remember missing him. And I can imagine that my mother could relate the verse of the woman in verse two.
“He called her on the road from a lonely, cold hotel room just to hear her say ‘I love you’ one more time, and when he heard the sound of the kids laughing in the background, he had to wipe away a tear from his eye. A little voice came on the phone, said ‘Daddy, when you coming home?” He said the first thing that came to his mind: I’m already there, take a look around – I’m the sunshine in your hair, I’m the shadow on the ground, I’m the whisper in the wind, I’m your imaginary friend, and I know I’m in your prayers. O, I’m already there.” This is a beautiful sentiment in which a man is away from his family as he works to provide for them. Though business (or in the case of the music video, military service) calls him away, his heart is still with them, so he calls to check in. While the call is to speak to the woman in his life, the sound of his children from the other end of the phone touches him as he misses them too. One of the kids hears that Dad is on the phone and asks when he’ll be back. Admittedly, his response makes me think of God, because God is that ever-present entity of love that surrounds us even when we can’t see God. But as a human, he speaks to those things that bring happiness or wonder and reminds his child that just because he is not physically present doesn’t mean that he is not close by. The key is that the love that he and the child share make it such that these things in nature that touch the child’s heart can simply serve as a reminder of the father who does the same.
“She got back on the phone, said ‘I really miss you darling. Don’t worry about the kids they’ll be alright. Wish I was in your arms, laying right there beside you, but I know that I’ll be in your dreams tonight. And I’ll gently kiss your lips, touch you with my fingertips, so turn out the light and close your eyes.’ I’m already there, don’t make a sound. I’m the beat in your heart, I’m the moonlight shining down, I’m the whisper in the wind, and I’ll be there till the end. Can you feel the love that we share? O, I’m already there.” This verse shifts from parental love to the love between partners. Similarly, the things in nature that touch the heart (and can be experienced by each of them in their separate places) are called upon as reminders that love is present even when the person is not. Something that is key for me is the line “don’t make a sound.” When listening for the wind or the beat in your heart, it’s necessary to quiet yourself and the distractions to be able to hear such gentle reminders. I think we sometimes miss the little things in love because so much is going on around us, and we can’t/won’t take time to hear the whispers of love that God, others, and even ourselves long to give us. Even if we just take a moment to reflect on and feel that love, it can bring us refreshment in our lonely or hard times.
“We may be a thousand miles apart, but I’ll be with you wherever you are. I’m already there. Take a look around – I’m the sunshine in your hair, I’m the shadow on the ground, I’m the whisper in the wind, and I’ll be there till the end.” No matter the physical distance that separates (or even if the loved one has passed on), the love that connects people never has to leave. There can always be something that brings the loved one to our remembrance if we take the time to perceive it – hearing their favorite song, smelling their cologne/perfume as we walk down the street, eating their favorite food, looking at a picture of them, etc. If you are missing a loved one because they are separated from you, close your eyes and reflect on what your hearts share, and realize that they’re already there…
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