Blow Away

Sometimes the most powerful revelations come from unexpected places. For George Harrison, it was a rain storm and a leaky roof at his Friar Park home that sparked one of his most uplifting songs. Sitting in his garden watching the downpour, George suddenly became aware that his mood was darkening with the weather—but in that realization lay the seed of transformation.

As Harrison himself described it, "I was in the garden and it was pouring down with rain, and I suddenly became aware that I was feeling depressed, being affected by the weather. And it's important to remember that while everything else around you changes, the soul within remains the same." This moment of awareness became the catalyst for "Blow Away," a song about the choice to shift perspective and let go of what weighs us down.

What makes "Blow Away" so powerful isn't just its catchy melody (which Harrison initially felt almost embarrassed about because of its simplicity), but its profound message about perspective and connection. The song suggests that even after prolonged darkness —metaphorical rain that dampens the heart — transformation is possible through the warmth of love and connection with others.

The song's structure mirrors this transformation beautifully. It begins in darkness and dampness but evolves into brightness and clarity. This wasn't just artistic license — it reflected Harrison's actual experience. After periods of isolation and frustration following the Beatles' breakup and his divorce, George found renewed purpose and joy through his connection with his second wife Olivia and their son Dhani. These relationships quite literally helped the clouds in his life "blow away."

Harrison's "Blow Away" reminds us that connecting with others provides the warmth that helps us overcome our individual challenges. Our darkest clouds can be transformed not through solitary struggle but through reaching out and allowing love in. “All it’s got to take is some warmth to make it.”

Today, I will remember that my perspective is a choice. When clouds gather, I'll reach out to those around me rather than isolating myself. I'll recognize that the warmth of connection is often all it takes to help life's storms blow away.

What clouds are gathering in your life that might benefit from the warmth of connection rather than solitary endurance? Who might you reach out to today?