Why I Became Sister of Mercy

Oh the sisters of mercy, they are not departed or gone.
They were waiting for me when I thought that I just can't go on.
And they brought me their comfort and later they brought me their song.
Oh I hope you run into them, you who've been travelling so long.

Yes you who must leave everything that you cannot control.
It begins with your family, but soon it comes around to your soul.
Well I've been where you're hanging, I think I can see how you're pinned:
When you're not feeling holy, your loneliness says that you've sinned.

They lay down beside me, I made my confession to them.
They touched both my eyes and I touched the dew on their hem.
If your life is a leaf that the seasons tear off and condemn
they will bind you with love that is graceful and green as a stem.

When I left they were sleeping, I hope you run into them soon.
Don't turn on the lights, you can read their address by the moon.
And you won't make me jealous if I hear that they sweetened your night:
We weren't lovers like that and besides it would still be all right,
We weren't lovers like that and besides it would still be all right.

The Sisters of Mercy was written and sung by Leonard Cohen.


When I joined WDC, I had to choose a username. I thought about it for a few minutes while listening to a Leonard Cohen CD. Then a light bulb when off in my head when the song The Sisters of Mercy started playing.

Although I had listened to this many times, I transcended into deep thought and pondered the meaning of this song. After that, I made a copy of the lyrics and read them. I could interpret two different meanings, and one of them applied to me. I said to myself that Sister of Mercy would be the perfect username for me. Here is the breakdown of what I got out of each verse that helped me make that decision.

The first verse tells you that a "Sister of Mercy" will never turn her back on you and will help you no matter what. The second one said that she will solve the problems even when everyone else has turned their back. The next verse lets you know that you can tell her anything, and she will keep your secret to the grave and never judge you. The last one, to me, said that she does not do things to draw attention to herself, makes her journey of life in the shadows, and spreads a quiet love of friendship.

I only hope that I can keep on being Sister of Mercy and stay a member of WDC for a long time.