Just Amy: I'm with you on Stan Rogers's "White Squall" - it describes loss so poignantly - but another song of Stan's does that for me too - "The Jeannie C". Also his Song of the Candle" hits a deep chord. Saw Judy Collins sing her famous song about her father and cried uncontrollably. Warren Zevon's "The Heartache" is another very sad one that i like. As far as optimism what prings to mind is Pete Seeger's "Oh Had I a Golden Thread" well worth finding if you haven't heard it.

greenbeer