Day 460 - Day 095
“Everyone walks the same, expecting me to step the narrow path they've laid. They claim to
walk unafraid…”
Walk Unafraid: R.E.M., Up
Rare to an R.E.M. song, this one is actually pretty easy to know what Michael is singing about (if you know Michael Stipe), and so this kind of spoke out to me from the get-go lyrically… but it took a long time to really like this song or album. This album was the first without Bill Berry who retired from the band for completely admirable reasons (family and health)… but I was very sad by his departure.
It was actually a live album (Live In Dublin) that got me into this song- proving that the energy of live recordings is often strong enough to draw people in- if the band puts enough energy into their performance. R.E.M. always does!
When I was a child I saw my father as this fearless person- afraid of nothing. He always had a future for me and advice. Every parent has advice based on their experiences and that is to be expected, but I didn’t know his advice was based on his own fears. I wish he’d have just kept silent in a lot of things actually. When I was a child I was fearless, afraid of nothing. That changed. I always thought my father was right because I thought he was bold and fearless- immortal. But when I began to see things differently, well… I wish I had learned to Walk Unafraid much earlier in life.
I am transitioning in my job- after 4 years under the same product I am starting all over again. I will still be a manager of course, but away from Pacificare and under United Healthcare plans. It has a lot more potential for growth, and a lot more potential for failure. I fear not, for it is the beginning of a new adventure for me. 4 years ago that would have freaked me out- but not anymore!
This song
*** Artist Notes ***
I wanted to capture the essence of how I felt most of my life- fearfully making my way through the light that I created… not realizing the light switch was right next to me the whole time. The light is actually candles taped together to make one huge flame, in a PVC pipe.
Lyrics:
As the sun comes up, as the moon goes down
These heavy notions creep around
It makes me think
Long ago I was brought into this life, a little lamb
A little lamb
Courageous, stumbling
Fearless was my middle name
But somewhere there I
Lost my way
Everyone walks the same
Expecting me to step
The narrow path they've laid
They claim to
Walk unafraid
I'll be clumsy instead
Hold my love me or leave me
High
Say "keep within the boundaries if you want to play"
Say "contradiction only makes it harder"
How can I be
What I want to be?
When all I want to do is strip away
These stilled constraints
And crush this charade
Shred this sad masquerade
I don't need no persuading
I'll trip, fall, pick myself up and
If I have a bag of rocks to carry as I go
I just want to hold my head up high
I don't care what I have to step over
I'm prepared to look you in the eye
Look me in the eye
And if you see familiarity
Then celebrate the contradiction
Help me when I fall to
Day 460 - Day 095
“Everyone walks the same, expecting me to step the narrow path they've laid. They claim to
walk unafraid…”
Walk Unafraid: R.E.M., Up
Rare to an R.E.M. song, this one is actually pretty easy to know what Michael is singing about (if you know Michael Stipe), and so this kind of spoke out to me from the get-go lyrically… but it took a long time to really like this song or album. This album was the first without Bill Berry who retired from the band for completely admirable reasons (family and health)… but I was very sad by his departure.
It was actually a live album (Live In Dublin) that got me into this song- proving that the energy of live recordings is often strong enough to draw people in- if the band puts enough energy into their performance. R.E.M. always does!
When I was a child I saw my father as this fearless person- afraid of nothing. He always had a future for me and advice. Every parent has advice based on their experiences and that is to be expected, but I didn’t know his advice was based on his own fears. I wish he’d have just kept silent in a lot of things actually. When I was a child I was fearless, afraid of nothing. That changed. I always thought my father was right because I thought he was bold and fearless- immortal. But when I began to see things differently, well… I wish I had learned to Walk Unafraid much earlier in life.
I am transitioning in my job- after 4 years under the same product I am starting all over again. I will still be a manager of course, but away from Pacificare and under United Healthcare plans. It has a lot more potential for growth, and a lot more potential for failure. I fear not, for it is the beginning of a new adventure for me. 4 years ago that would have freaked me out- but not anymore!
This song
*** Artist Notes ***
I wanted to capture the essence of how I felt most of my life- fearfully making my way through the light that I created… not realizing the light switch was right next to me the whole time. The light is actually candles taped together to make one huge flame, in a PVC pipe.
Lyrics:
As the sun comes up, as the moon goes down
These heavy notions creep around
It makes me think
Long ago I was brought into this life, a little lamb
A little lamb
Courageous, stumbling
Fearless was my middle name
But somewhere there I
Lost my way
Everyone walks the same
Expecting me to step
The narrow path they've laid
They claim to
Walk unafraid
I'll be clumsy instead
Hold my love me or leave me
High
Say "keep within the boundaries if you want to play"
Say "contradiction only makes it harder"
How can I be
What I want to be?
When all I want to do is strip away
These stilled constraints
And crush this charade
Shred this sad masquerade
I don't need no persuading
I'll trip, fall, pick myself up and
If I have a bag of rocks to carry as I go
I just want to hold my head up high
I don't care what I have to step over
I'm prepared to look you in the eye
Look me in the eye
And if you see familiarity
Then celebrate the contradiction
Help me when I fall to