Anne Hears “River Flows In You” March 8, 2026

Anne Hears “River Flows In You” March 8, 2026

Anne, in her wheelchair by the sterile off-white walls,

Wheels whispering across linoleum, the world narrowing,

She passes the hospital chapel, quiet inside, golden light spilling.

A young nurse, nimble fingers on keys,

Softly pouring notes into air heavy with waiting.

“River Flows In You,” its melody drifts,

Not a hymn of comfort, but a river of memory.

Anne pauses, lungs brimming with borrowed grace,

The notes seep through her, gentle as a spring thaw,

Her soul stirring, before darkness settles in again.

Why does this music reach her, cradle her sorrow?

Perhaps because it speaks in currents, not words,

Touching places the cancer cannot – echo, longing.

Anne’s eyes close, feeling the flow beneath pain,

A melody that recalls who she is, not what she is losing.

As the music subsides, the subsequent silence is immense;

Anne holds it, a secret between breath and stillness,

The river running on, a promise she cannot name,

Leaving behind a question, tender and unresolved:

Why does music, in dying, make one feel so profoundly alive?

Yiruma, (이루마) – River Flows in You

I’ve learned that victims of glioblastoma and other forms of brain cancer might be especially mesmerized by certain pieces of music due to the profound impact that music can have on the brain’s neural pathways, even when those pathways are disrupted by disease. It would appear that music stimulates multiple regions of the brain, including those involved in emotion, memory, and reward, providing both comfort and a sense of connection that can be deeply soothing during even the most hellish illness. For individuals coping with brain cancer, music may offer a temporary escape from their reality and foster moments of joy or peace amidst their struggles.

This is certainly what happened to my dearest Anne for a brief, shining moment on March 8, 2026.

Anne’s world has now shrunk to the point where the music must be brought to her, not she to the music. Anne’s world is shrinking and she is expiring.