An Unexpected Gift from Joni Mitchell

A lesson in aging gracefully and a reminder of the power of song in a dark time

Newport, RI — July 24: Brandi Carlile introduces Joni Mitchell for a special Joni Jam at the 2022 Newport Folk Festival at Fort Adams State Park on July 24, 2022. (Photo by Carlin Stiehl for The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Woke up, it was a Monday morning and the first thing that I thought was: what do I write about today? Another column about the dark clouds hanging over our heads and the challenges we face with our climate, our democracy, and the disconnect between our leaders and the…