Rolling down Interstate 64 today with the XM dishing out hits of the 60’s I found myself singing along with Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. Bridge Over Troubled Waters was playing. We sounded great, the three of us, although I thought Art was a bit flat in spots.

When you’re weary, feeling small,
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all;
I’m on your side when times get rough
And friends just can’t be found,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.

What a great song, a blockbuster hit in 1970, topping the charts in both England and the United States. I was in my junior year at college and something about the song struck a deep chord within. The thought of a friend being your bridge over the troubled waters of life seemed so true. I’ve had friends like that and I hope I’ve been a friend like that to others. Even deeper meaning came to me when I learned that Paul Simon originally intended the piece as a Gospel song, implying God’s loving friendship as the bridge.  So Bridge Over Troubled Waters has been a favorite of mine ever since. And I sing it loudly in the car. And other places.

But today the song produced a different meaning for me. It jumped out in the verse that starts:

Sail on silvergirl, sail on by.

Somewhere in the deep dark recesses of my brain I remembered about “silvergirl.”

She was Peggy Harper, Simon’s first wife. Barely 30 years old, Peggy was pretty upset about the first strands of gray showing up in her hair. Paul and his friends teased her mercilessly about it and came up with the nickname “Silvergirl.”

Sail on silvergirl…

I have silver hair too and have had it since my 40’s. Most of my friends have silver hair too, no matter what color they hide it with. The truth of the matter is that we’re all getting old. Wrinkles and gray are part of who we are.

And the thought came to me as I zoomed along the interstate singing at the top of my lungs that I wish I could give a shout out to all my “silvergirl” friends, both male and female, and sing:

Sail on silvergirl, sail on by.
Your time has come to shine.
All your dreams are on their way.
See how they shine.
If you need a friend
I’m sailing right behind.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind.

So here’s to all the silvergirls out there.

Shine on, baby!