Lyrical Pilgrimage

In the heart of Athens, a city where antiquity meets modernity, I found myself once more on a quest driven by love and passion. My current love, however unrelenting, was/is Louis Tomlinson and his music. This past year actually stretching back to January 2022, I had embarked on a journey chasing his concerts, each a unique symphony of emotions, each holding its own charm. Six, or perhaps five and a half — given the unforeseen weather drama at Red Rocks — but who’s counting? It was just a few stitches in my head. This time, I was on European soil, an entire ocean away, the pulsing heart of Greece, waiting with bated breath for Louis to take the stage again.

Post-concert, my spirit still humming to Louis’s voice, I ventured to fulfill my second obsession this year, Hydra. This wasn’t just any picturesque Greek island; it was a sanctuary for Leonard Cohen during his nascent years as a singer-songwriter. This mecca of his inspiration seemed a world away from the bustling streets of Athens, an island frozen in time its secrets whispered through the gentle lapping of the waves and the songs on the wind.

Cohen’s music wasn’t a direct discovery for me. Rather, it was through the ethereal voice of Jeff Buckley in New York City. I had barely begun my career in public relations, sent on assignment to interview an author. Local friends, knowing my need to escape (some would say introversion), dragged me out to a club, actually more of an intimate cafe.

It was there I was introduced to the haunting beauty of “Hallelujah.” Buckley, with his deep, soulful eyes and voice that transcended realms, was my first adult crush. I’m pretty sure I stared at him the whole night wondering what it would be like to run my fingers through that shaggy soft hair and touch those lips. Many might not recognize his name, but in my heart, he held a distinct place. His rendition of “Hallelujah” wasn’t just a cover; it felt like he breathed a new soul into Cohen’s words, elevating it, making it a poignant ode of love and loss. He even called it and homage to the orgasm. Unfortunately he died only a few years later in a drowning incident (said to be accidental although it seems suspicious by many of us). He was only 30 years old.

Walking the streets of Hydra, I felt layers of stories unfold around me. This wasn’t just an island; it was an anthology of dreams, music, and emotions. The connection between Louis, Buckley and Cohen, three souls from different eras, converged in my journey, reminding me of the transformative power of music, and how it can weave stories across time. And while all of our love stories have different flavors, in the broad sense they’re all the same as Cohen’s words echoed the heaven of highs and the hell of lows.

In essence, this Athenian escapade was more than a mere trip. It was a lyrical pilgrimage, an exploration of love in its various forms — from the contemporary allure of Louis Tomlinson to the timeless mystique of Leonard Cohen, channeled through the haunting voice of Jeff Buckley. In a city steeped in millennia of history, I found my own personal symphony, etching memories that would resonate for a lifetime.