Tracks In The Dust

A Father's Advice About Learning the Mission of Life

Archive for the category “Life’s Sound Track (Music)”

Something Left To Give

Loves Condition

As we grow older it seems, priorities change don’t they? When I was younger getting through each day meant something quite different from what it does now. In some ways I was always wishing hard for the weekend, where I could more intensely enjoy the company of my friends. Raise the roof and party. I was in a rock band in my early days and there was always something about the weekend. Gigs at local schools and pubs, party’s with long nights of drinking beer and smoking and pretending to be so worldly about our observations of love and the world around us.

But as I grew older giving was more significant than receiving. It became more important to be part of something that would last. It’s not that everything has to be “important”- but somehow I guess having kids will put a whole new perspective on that. As I had written in a previous post a while back, my father-in-law lived to the ripe old age of 90. And though all of his years fortunately old age did not shake is memory or faculties. He was a vibrant person pretty much till the end. One of the most important thing he wanted from life was to “be remembered”.

So now as I gain years and hopefully get wiser with age, I hope that I can have “something left to give” and that all of my children (even the lost one I haven’t seen in 10 years) can gain from the insight of the world around them. They won’t let the world pass by them and not notice the greatness of life, the wonder, grace and compassion.  They will find ways to give to life the blessings God has provided, they will be conscious of the opportunity and it will become the reason that generations ahead will benefit from the wisdom they leave behind.

This is a song that always reminds me of that idea. One my children introduced it to me. From The Starting Line. It’s several years old, but I have frequently came back to this song and its words.   ♥

Beware of Darkness

Lightening in the Darkness of LABeware of Darkness.

There is so much darkness in our lives isn’t there?

There is darkness of night-  allowing some to use the cloak of the evening to “go out” and prowl, to move among the darkness unnoticed and secretly meet with others. To be able to move along the shadows, away from the light.

You could find yourself slipping into darkness- like some sadness that comes over you. Slowly like the change from day to-night, or quickly like the wind blowing at the head of a storm.  It’s the darkness of the stormy weather ahead in your life, you choose to hide in it.

There is the darkness of evil, like Satan the king of darkness. It catapults you into the most darkness places on Earth. It drives people who are unable to distinguish dark from light to plunge toward it. To take up the evil and combat the innocent or unknowing. It leads to machine guns in schools, murder and lies that will make others do things that are never forgivable by humankind.

So darkness is described as the absence of light; but without it light cannot exist. One small light in the darkness can shine brighter than a 1000 points of light on a bright day. Light provides the ability to reveal the reality of what darkness hides, it allows for progress to carry-on. Light needs darkness.

Darkness can be comfort like the warmth of a  dark room, of like a deprivation tank floating like a dream. Staying under a blanket in a safe place that keeps the outside out and the inside in. Like a womb of darkness that will create a safe-place in your mind, a place to reset and rest before coming back to the light.  Like the world turning the darkness gives way to the light. For some they never return.

Darkness can be the scariest place where secrets untold. It seems like that can bring a whole new level of darkness that can trap you in a pattern that has little light to offer. Like George Harrison sings, “Beware of Darkness”

Darkness is a combination of all colors- but somehow it when opening your eyes, it can seem like  the absence of all color. The light is there. It is out there if you reach for it. If you find a way to let it in.

At the end of our lives, faith tells us that it can be the arrival of the light of the eternal flame… of a Spirit higher than anyone of us. The light that never brings darkness. That is the light of the world and the hope for tomorrow.

 

Thanks for the inspiration from fellow blogger  No Blog Intended her insightful  views on darkness in her world.

Darkness and to me

Darkness-the bright side

Also tracksinthedust related post

Controlling Your State of Mind

Finding a Purpose the the Lack of Self Esteem

A great blog full of insight on fighting the darkness:

Agents of Light

 

My Soundtracks

Posting answers from my last post where I asked what your answers would be- here’s mine (if it matters).

Music draws a lot into the motions of life, surrounding you with feelings and memories that are indelible.

Music Notes

Liberally borrowing from a recent Entertainment Weekly magazine I challenge each of you (if music is part of your life at all like it is for me ) to answer the following & post it back on comments or on your site and “share”.

 

 

 

What are the songs that make up the Soundtrack of Your Life?

  1. The first song I was ever obsessed with: I Want To Hold Your Hand- The Beatles
  2. The first album I ever bought with my own money: Introducing the Beatles ( on Vee Jay label)
  3. The song that reminds me of my first love: Sunshine Superman by Donovan
  4. The first song I ever sang in front of people: Away in a Manger (Christmas concert)
  5. The artist people don’t know I am a fan of: Dixie Chicks
  6. My go-to karaoke jam: Babe by Styx
  7. The album that reminds me of home: Sweet Baby James by James Taylor
  8. The album that I will never get tired of, no matter how often I hear it: In Transit by Jack’s Mannequin
  9. The song(s) I listen to to get pumped up: Currently: Madness by Muse
  10. The song that I wish I had written (and would have been famous for):  Won’t Get Fooled Again by The Who
  11. The album I want played at my funeral:  Deja Vu by CSNY
  12. My #1 favorite holiday song: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

You can explain yourself if you want to as to why you chose it. Just play along!  Their are NO wrong answers. 

Go ahead.  But be sure to share on your site or in the comments for others to see… and provide a LINK.

Soundtrack of Your Life

Hey- I got stuck on this the other day. So many of my friends (both bloggy and non-bloggy) talk about how music is such a part of their lives.

I think music draws a lot into the motions of life, surrounding you with feelings and memories that are indelible.

 

Heart Music 2

Liberally borrowing from a recent Entertainment Weekly magazine I challenge each of you (if music is part of your life at all like it is for me ) to answer the following & post it back on comments or on your site and “share”.

What are the songs that make up the Soundtrack of Your Life?

  1. The first song I was ever obsessed with:
  2. The first album I ever bought with my own money:
  3. The song that reminds me of my first love:
  4. The first song I ever sang in front of people:
  5. The artist people don’t know I am a fan of:
  6. My go-to karaoke jam:
  7. The album that reminds me of home:
  8. The album that I will never get tired of, no matter how often I hear it:
  9. The song(s) I listen to to get pumped up:
  10. The song that I wish I had written (and would have been famous for):
  11. The album I want played at my funeral:
  12. My #1 favorite holiday song:

You can explain yourself if you want to as to why you chose it. Just play along!  Their are NO wrong answers. 

Go ahead.  But be sure to share on your site or in the comments for others to see… and provide a LINK.

 

Closing Time

Closing Time

Closing Time (Photo credit: André Hofmeister)

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings’ end.” Semisonic “Closing Time”

The real-deal is that everything changes (time does that) and when something begins, it is always destined for an “end”. At least here on Earth.

Acceptance of change is often hard, and can lead to disappointment. It seems like so often disappointment a result of what we want to have happen- but doesn’t. We get stuck on the idea that if something doesn’t happen “exactly” like we imagined it should -then it seems wrong (we get angry or sad).

So hard to remember that. SO SO easy to let things get you down.  Not like you can’t have plans or something, but they have to allow for the detours that life will deal us. Let one thing happen and be prepared to allow closure to the next. Hanging on to it can just make it harder.

So yeah- closing time… let it happen. Let it be the “last call” and the lights come up, because tomorrow is another day and “you can’t stay here” …..”  in reality you wouldn’t want to any way. And that final “closing time” is somewhere in your future- you will go  home to somewhere where forever is real. For now- keep moving. It’s gloriously more of an adventure that way – share it with the people you love on the journey ahead.

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