In Memory of Barbara Silverman (My Mum)
The Story Behind Two Songs—and My Mum, Who Inspired Them
Fifteen years ago today, I celebrated the life of my Mum, Barbara L. Silverman.
This year, I wanted her memory to carry something beyond my own loss. Small cell lung cancer took her from us, and if sharing her story encourages even one person to pay attention to a persistent symptom, ask an important question, or speak with a doctor about lung cancer screening, then her light will have reached another family.
Two songs now tell different parts of my Mum’s story.
“One Day From Someday”
“One Day From Someday” was the one song I could play for her while she was still with us. Co-written with Michael Peterson and Paul Rucker, it grew from the lessons she had given me throughout my life: listen to your heart, follow your dreams, love fully, and never wait for “someday” to begin living.
It was created to give her hope that tomorrow might still bring a miracle. She had originally been given one year to live but somehow found the strength to turn that year into two and a half.
The song has never been officially released, although I hope it will be one day…from someday. I first shared it for that reason, and I share it again today in the hope that someone facing an impossible tomorrow might find something in the music to help them reach the next one.
“One Day From Someday” reminds us that hope can carry us forward.
“The World Is Better Dreaming”
“The World Is Better Dreaming,” co-written with Anthony Snape and performed so beautifully by Chris Taylor, speaks to another part of that journey. It is for those who may have to face the inevitable, and for the people who love them. I hope it offers some measure of peace, acceptance, and the belief that passing from this life may not be an ending, but the beginning of another form of energy and existence.
My Mum was a dreamer. Even while facing small cell lung cancer, she continued to believe in tomorrow and passed that hope along to me, as she had throughout my entire life. Perhaps that is where “The World Is Better Dreaming” truly began, long before Anthony and I ever wrote the first word.
“The World Is Better Dreaming” reminds us that love can help us find peace.
Happy Celebration of Life, Mum. You’re still giving me reasons to believe in miracles, to live without waiting for someday, and to know that the world is better dreaming. ❤️