Words....

I was reading this morning and a particular passage from the book made me think of these songs for some reason. When I have no words of my own to express, I think it worthwhile to borrow from others for these words have inspired me over the years and feel like a part of who I am today.

I had the good fortune of seeing Harry Chapin in concert prior to his untimely death. He was just as you would imagine--he sat, bigger than life, on a small stage with his guitar. He sat very near the edge--so close we could almost touch him from our front row seats. The setting, and his presence, felt very personal and intimate-- just like most of the words to his songs. I suppose we all have moments in life that are attached to such beautiful lyrics.

I remember leaving the auditorium that evening stating that I could not wait to see him again sometime--it was definitely a concert to remember. Who knew that he was so near his departure from this earth?! (I can tell you exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard the tragic news--he had become that real to me.) I am grateful for the few hours and space we shared in life and would like to use his song to remind us how fleeting life is and to encourage you to embrace every moment as if it could be your last!!

As I recall, Mr. Chapin invited the audience to sing along with him as he sang this song. I am certain he'd invite you to do the same today if he could.

Circle

All my life's a circle;
Sunrise and sundown;
Moon rolls thru the nighttime;
Till the daybreak comes around.
All my life's a circle;
But I can't tell you why;
Season's spinning round again;
The years keep rollin' by.

It seems like I've been here before;
I can't remember when;
But I have this funny feeling;
That we'll all be together again.
No straight lines make up my life;
And all my roads have bends;
There's no clear-cut beginnings;
And so far no dead-ends.

Chorus:

I found you a thousand times;
I guess you done the same;
But then we lose each other;
It's like a children's game;
As I find you here again;
A thought runs through my mind;
Our love is like a circle;
Let's go 'round one more time.

Chorus

By Harry Chapin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And then there were the Bee Gees or 'The Brothers Gibb'. I never got to see them in concert, but I can tell you there were many times and places when/where they were playing in the background of my life. Like Harry Chapin, they suffered loss early in life--losing both Andy and Maurice. I watched several videos recently on 'YouTube' of the Bee Gees performing the same songs with and without Maurice. It was very poignant to listen to the words and observe the difference in their demeanors while he was with them and then after he was gone. Again, a reminder to appreciate what we have while we have it--no regrets!!!

I hope these tunes will provide meaning for you today as they have for me.

Words

Smile an everlasting smile, a smile can bring you
Near to me.
Dont ever let me find you down, cause that would
Bring a tear to me.
This world has lost its glory, lets start a brand
New story now, my love.
Right now, there'll be no other time and I can show
You how, my love.

Talk in everlasting words, and dedicate them all to
Me.
And I will give you all my life, Im here if you
Should call to me.
You think that I dont even mean a single word I
Say.
Its only words, and words are all I have, to take
Your heart away.

By the Bee Gees

I'm a 'Moon Child'!!!!

It may not be the 'Mississippi Moon', but it's still the same one, right?!?! This was my view last night!! (The video I wanted to share cannot be embedded, but you can see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqZ95a249p0--it's safe, I view it all the time!! Or if you prefer, check out the Doobies here: http://www.myspace.com/doobiebrothers) Enjoy!!!!

The Tree of Life

Figuratively speaking, I feel as if I have been pushed from the highest cliff, and I am frozen in the first few seconds of free-falling to the earth which seems a great distance below me. I feel shocked, in disbelief, a bit panicked, and terribly saddened about what lies ahead. I do not want to go there, and I wish time could stand still forever as I feel it has in this moment.

I gazed out my kitchen window this morning at the tree I've been observing each day throughout this glorious fall season. Today it is bare of its bright colored leaves...barren...that is how I feel, as if everything colorful in my life has been stripped away from me. I still stand tall and strong, though I do not necessarily feel that way, because I know I am well-rooted......grounded in the most profound way. The knowledge of this strength is what will sustain me...forcing me to realize that not only will I survive this winter of my life, but I will make it to the other side...budding and renewed....ready to meet the warmer times that await.

"The Law of the Garbage Truck"

What an irony. I just saved a post in my drafts. I was venting and too embarrassed to admit my frustrations publicly. Then I went to e-mail and found a string of forwards. Sometimes I'm not in the mood to read them, so the list had been there for a few days. I suppose today was the better day to find this one and another that preceded it. If I can find a way to post the other, I will. I'll begin with this one:


"How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day?
Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly she can get back her focus on what's important.

Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here's what happened.

I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded and missed the other car's back end by just inches! The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly! So, I said, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!" And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck."

"Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did."

So this was it: "The Law of the Garbage Truck." I started thinking, how often do I let "garbage trucks" run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets?
It was that day I said, "I'm not going to do it anymore."



I began to see garbage trucks. Like in the movie "The Sixth Sense," the little boy said, "I see Dead People." Well, now I see "garbage trucks." I see the load they're carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.

One of my favorite football players of all time, Walter Payton, did this every day on the football field. He would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground after being tackled. He never dwelled on a hit. Payton was ready to make the next play his best

The bottom line is that successful people do not let "garbage trucks" take over their day. What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by? Here's my bet. You'll be happier.



Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so: Love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't. Believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, TAKE IT! If it changes your life, LET IT! Nobody said it would be easy...they just promised it would be worth it! A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour."

(Author Unknown)

A Meeting of the Minds!!!

I was fascinated to find this post in another blog. It provided evidence for me that I am not alone in my feelings and experiences. Others ponder the same things that I do sometimes. Finding evidence of this provided both a relief and a slight chuckle (not in a disrespectful way--more of an understanding). I feel this was the object of my blog all along--a means to 'dialogue' with others--to toss around ideas--those that may seem commonplace, yet significant in our lives. No pretense of perfectionism here. No attitude of 'why can't I get this simple thing right'. Just truthful open dialogue about those everyday, mundane issues that plague us so.

Again...what a relief to find others expressing similar feelings. We all have our unique, individual stories to tell, but at the heart of it all, many times the issues are all the same. We are dealing with people we care about on some level. We are disillusioned by where these relationships carry us. We are embarrassed to find ourselves sharing such experiences. These things only happen to others, not us. If we find ourselves involved/relating, we feel like failures. I think this is significant.

My marriage failed, for example. I may have 'failed' to communicate well with my ex--even to this day, but I am not a failure. I am only half of the equation. Perhaps it was just wrong to continue to stay involved (literally, in my case, but sometimes to know this figuratively is key also) where there was no resolution, no meeting of the minds. If the experience offered some knowledge and understanding, hopefully leaving me the wiser, then this is not failure. I appreciate having this feeling confirmed through the shared words and experiences of others. There ARE minds out there who understand.

What I took away from the other blogger is part of the old saying that I did not include in MY former post.....something about 'mending fences' as opposed to just 'burning bridges'. Obviously, I'm still working on that part.

But I think we've got ourselves a Ping Pong match going on here. With each contact, the game just improves.

Below was my comment to the blogger's post which instigated this post:

This is what I've had to say about 'burning bridges':

http://grneyedgrl.blogspot.com/2007/09/burning-bridges-i-always-thought-you.html

It has been my experience that once you've reached that point with another, in all honestly, you've probably figured out they are never going to acknowledge--even if they DO understand--your position. This is likely the reason you've decided to write them off to begin with.

My problem with letting go is lack of trust in myself..in my own instinct...in my ability to fairly assess the situation and thus feel justified in removing myself. By the time I accept that I 'should' have--that I MUST let it go--I've beaten myself up considerably. Then I lose sight of who is to blame?!

I can't blame the other for what they've done to me if I internalize it in an unhealthy way and destroy myself over an issue. But if I have the courage to address a situation/person and realize the other just refuses to accept any responsibility, or in your case even acknowledge that it happened (which is often the case with an 'abuser'--there, I've said the word for THAT type of individual--I've met plenty of them and researched the subject too--that IS what they are many times), then I am not only healthier for burning that bridge, I'm the wiser for doing it too.

It's exhausting hanging on to past history especially when you're fairly clear about the person you're dealing with. It's difficult when the other is someone you'd prefer to get along with, but I'm finally realizing, it's NOT a requirement.

Move on--there are healthier people out there to fill the space being taken in your life by such losers. Don't feel badly for leaving them where they belong--behind!!! That's where they will likely spend most of their lives. Sometimes rejection is the only way for them to begin to realize the error of THEIR ways!!

We can learn from these people, also, how to avoid setting ourselves up. Sounds like you accomplished that early on, and giving him a chance to redeem himself just provided you the proof you needed to confirm your earlier decisions. Though not always the desired outcome, we can only take responsibility for ourselves. Others are entitled to choose their own paths, even when they are not aware of where it's taking them. Someday he may wake up alone and 'get it', or maybe he'll spend his lifetime making mistakes. Sounds as if that is where HE is headed now! I suppose it's considered 'reaping what you sow'. Consequences. In your heart, wish him well, but yep, let it go, it's no longer your problem if you burn that bridge.

(SORRY....I'll step OFF the soapbox now...boy, have I ever learned this lesson the hard way?!?! Uh huh!!!)

Reincarnation

Sometimes I feel as if.....

...I've been under a rock, and maybe I was....for a time. It seems this event occurred in 2001, and yes, I was in the midst of separation and divorce...so life did seem to stand still for me then. Anyway, I was surfing the profiles of my musical favorites in MySpace and discovered the story behind the words to a song--'Digest' by Ben Taylor--that I'd posted here a few posts down. The link clearly should have been attached to the song. So, now you have it!!! Enjoy!!

Talk about 'Memory Lane'.....