Megan Navarro
I am sitting in my bed late on a Sunday night before the work week begins tomorrow, rewatching “Grey’s Anatomy” again for the 100th time and inspiration strikes to write this column. All from hearing one of the many beautiful, yet gut-wrenching, songs written by Sleeping At Last: “Saturn.”
If you want a good cry or a moment to ponder on life, I suggest perusing their discography — let’s just say more than one of their songs made it on my wedding playlist five years ago with no regrets.
“Saturn” is a part of a Space series that the artist did, continuing the fascination with telescopes, watching space-related TV and films and learning about the solar system, according to Sleeping At Last’s song notes. In particular, “Saturn,” is a song about losing someone who was close and deeply loved, but focusing on the good that they left behind in our lives, leading the listener to really reflect on the relationships that are right in front of us.
The song was playing during multiple scenes of this one episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” because, as interesting as it may sound, the lyrics don’t come with the instrumentals until further along in the composition.
It was playing when — spoiler alert — a character was waking up from a brain surgery to find herself alive, but blind and instead of being angry at the loss of her eyesight, she’s grateful that she has life left to live. And it really makes you focus on this one specific lyric: “How rare and beautiful it is to even exist.”
I think there are times that we walk through the day-to-day and we forget that life truly is a precious gift.
In addition to dissecting this particular Sleeping At Last song, I’ve also been listening to the rolling thunder that has been in and out of consciousness this weekend and checking the radar for how many of these “April showers bring May flowers” we are going to be getting. Yes, we really do need the rain because we are in this impetuous drought, but what’s been clouding that thought for me tonight is what happened on the Fourth of July weekend last year.
Destructive flooding took place across the Hill Country and Central Texas, rising the levels of the Guadalupe River, killing more than 100 people, and causing an investigation to be launched into Camp Mystic in Kerr County — families have filed several lawsuits against the camp, arguing that the young campers and counselors whose lives were lost could have been saved.
I am just hoping and praying that we don’t have to see a summer like that again in 2026. Parents don’t have to be in fear of never seeing their children again when dropping them off at camp. Families don’t have to say their last “goodbye” to their dad, mom, brother or sister — you name it — who is a first responder going to assist at a devastating flood. People don’t have to worry about what’s next for them when they see their house in shambles, with all of their belongings inside, floating down the river. Businesses don’t have to be forced to close up shop for months to a year because of the damage.
And the list goes on.
The entirety of “Saturn” goes:
“You taught me the courage of stars before you left
How light carries on endlessly, even after death
With shortness of breath
You explained the infinite
How rare and beautiful it is to even exist
I couldn't help but ask for you to say it all again
I tried to write it down, but I could never find a pen
I'd give anything to hear you say it one more time
That the universe was made just to be seen by my eyes
I couldn't help but ask for you to say it all again
I tried to write it down, but I could never find a pen
I'd give anything to hear you say it one more time
That the universe was made just to be seen by my eyes
With shortness of breath
I'll explain the infinite
How rare and beautiful it truly is that we exist”
We have all lost a loved one in this life. We want to hear them say, “Hello,” “I love you” or maybe even, “You are doing a great job; I am proud of you” one last time.
As unfortunate and heartbreaking as that loss is, just think about how rare and beautiful it is to be in this moment right now, but also how special it was to know them. That one special person whom you will never forget.
Navarro is the executive editor for the Hays Free Press/News-Dispatch. She can be reached by emailing [email protected].
