Part of existing fully in the Now means reflecting on who’s paved the path and come before us—catching ourselves up to the present by immersing ourselves in meaningful context. I was late to the party with Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s music (or perhaps exactly right on time), discovering his song “La Vita” just this past year—and was immediately drawn in by its cosmic-like essence and melody. It’s a song I return to often, and each time I’m still awestruck by how it distills the paradox of life’s beauty and heartbreak into a four-minute experience.

Now in his mid-seventies, Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s music career spans over fifty years of creating. As a singer, composer, and transgender activist, his work has been gathering momentum in recent years (see the Bon Iver reimagining of “Ever New” below). Defying category and genre, Copeland’s music fuses spirituality, synth, and soul in a way that just stays with you. His work is a reminder that soul-informed art transcends time and space and will always be ripe with resonance.

The songs below are two of my personal favorites—enjoy and feel everything.

And I work and I work all day and night

I wonder if I'm ever gonna get it right

I push and I push to get ahead

I know I gotta make my daily bread

I know I don't have time to lose

I wonder if I really have time to choose

I barely have time to shed a tear

I hardly have time to shake the fear

And the body says "Remember you gotta breathe"

The body says "Take the time to grieve"

The mind says "Let the silence flow"

The mind says "Allow yourself to grow"

The spirit says "Cast your eyes above"

The spirit says " Fill your heart with love"

The heart says "Seek the light within"

The heart says "Let the dance begin"

And my mother says to me "Enjoy your life"

My mother says to me "Enjoy your life"

My mother says to me "Enjoy your life"

My mother says to me "Enjoy your life"

My mother says to me "Enjoy your life, darling"