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"I find someone like [James] Joyce quite rock 'n' roll, because he was bending and messing with words." -- Bono |
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"I find someone like [James] Joyce quite rock 'n' roll, because he was bending and messing with words." -- Bono |
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Like a Song: Drowning Man
@U2,
January 08, 2009
[Ed. note: This is the 30th in a series of personal essays by the @U2 staff about songs and/or albums that have had great meaning or impact in our lives.]
 "If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain.
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain."
- Emily DickensonFrom birth to death, life affords us all the opportunity to experience everything from the elevation of elation to the depths of despair. Each one of us is on a unique path that will never be duplicated and that is an amazing thing to consider. But as we each travel down our own path, we find time and again that our paths intersect with others. It is these intersections that create variety and give meaning to our lives. Overall, my life has been pretty lucky to this point. Like most people, most of my life moments have fallen in that middle bin between despair and elation that make up the majority of our life. I've had a few moments that have pushed me to the edge of despair. The loss of my mother was one. I've also been in the company of others when they have had this type of moment. The feeling is overwhelming and for a time, there appears to be no exit. One could certainly make the comparison that at that time, you are a drowning man. Take my hand You know I'll be there If you can I'll cross the sky for your love Bono's tone has a sense of desperation to it in this song. Whoever he may be speaking to or speaking for, he can see that the situation is dire and intercession is needed immediately. The lyrics have me assuming that the words being sung are between people with a special bond. They could be best friends, they could be life partners, or they could be family, but this bond is so close that these words need not be spoken. I have been offered this hand before and I have offered my hand to another. For I have promised Oh, to be with you tonight And for the time that will come When my mom passed away, I was in a hospital 1,500 miles from her with my own medical issues. My doctor told me that he would never tell anyone not to attend their mother's funeral, but he strongly advised against it for medical reasons. Worried about my health and the possibility of having a relapse, I stayed home after leaving the hospital a couple of days later. I never really dealt fully with the news while I was in the hospital, so it was my first night at home that the emotions really hit. My favorite cat that always slept at my feet spent that night in my arms. It was the only night he ever did that. Most of us spend our days in the world with our co-workers, school mates or in society in general getting our day-to-day business done. Where we spend our time at night tends to be our own choice. Here a promise is made that support will be given for this night and as many days and nights as needed. Whatever you need, it is yours. Take my hand You know I'll be there If you can I'll cross the sky for your love And I understand These winds and tides This change of times Won't drag you away The most overlooked portion of the lyrics in this song may well be "If you can." No matter how much somebody wants to help someone in trouble or in despair, no help can be given if the other person is not ready to receive it. Sometimes that despair can be so deep that they are not ready for that help for a long time. It's during the roughest times that we should be able to trust our loved ones to tell us what we need. Life has an ebb and flow to it. Whether it is waves of sorrow or waves of joy, life keeps moving and we need to be ready for whatever may come next. Our situation changes, our friends and relatives change and we change ourselves. There's nothing that can stop change from happening, but the bond of love shared by friends and family is strong enough to hold on during these events. It took me a while to be ready to move on after my mother's passing though there are still some aspects that I have not dealt with. Hold on, and hold on tightly Hold on, and don't let go Of my love Somebody once wrote a song that proclaimed that all you needed was love. Sometimes that sounds trite and simple but when the chips are down, it's amazing how right that proclamation was. Recognizing that someone loves you is a powerful moment that brings hope with it. The storms will pass / The storm will pass It won't be long now / It won't be long now His love will last His love will last...forever The drowning man comes above the waterline and falls back beneath it as he experiences moments of clarity and moments of turbulence. The echoed lines in the lyrics allude to this perfectly. In my eyes, Bono is talking about the bond between God and man. While I am not a Christian, the first two lines here speak to a point that is important in the Buddhist world as well and that is "impermanence". Buddhists believe that everything is transient and will change, so no effort should be made to hold on to material things or get caught up in the moment because it will change. That doesn't mean to ignore things but rather to observe them, deal with the moment and then move forward. Take my hand You know I'll be there If you can I'll cross the sky for your love Give you what I hold dear Again, in my eyes, Bono revisits his religious beliefs. Christians believe that God gave the gift of his Son to the world to die for their sins and thus open the kingdom of heaven. Looking at these lyrics from a more secular point of view, it can be interpreted that one is giving the gift of love and friendship to another in need. What can we give to another that means more than this? The golden rule binds us all. Hold on, hold on tightly Hold on, and hold on tightly Rise up, rise up With wings like eagles You run, you run You run and not grow weary In times of despair, we often find ourselves with an energy that we can't seem to use properly. This energy is often a combination of frustration, fear, anger, guilt, hatred and many other feelings that are running through us but have no outlet. The suggestion given in the lyrics is to use that energy to rise above your problems and find a way to bring beauty to the world. Don't create a chain of negative events for yourself. It is your choice how you react to any stimulus, so why not be positive? Hope is always with us though sometimes it hides in a dark corner. Take my hand, take my hand Hold on, and hold on tightly Hold on, hold on tightly To this love... last forever / This love, this love To this love... last forever / This love, this love Take my hand Take my hand "Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light." - Albert Schweitzer Every once in a while an angel comes into our life and lends a hand when we most need it. Often we know them better as friends or family, but they can be total strangers as well. On the other hand, sometimes you are the angel in someone else's life though you may never be aware of that fact. We all get those moments where we feel that we are drowning and that the flame within us isn't burning as brightly as it used to. You are not alone. I am not alone. We are not alone. The storms will pass. It won't be long now. Take my hand. (c) @U2/Hebert, 2009.
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