The World I Know

There is a song called The World I Know by Collective Soul. If you have never heard it you should youtube it and listen. It is so powerful. I have no idea why but as I sat on the couch last night trying to blur out the noise of the tv and the noise of life this song came to my mind. I was thinking about a lyric and all I could think of was the world I know. It took me a few minutes to find the song in my music head files but after a few minutes with my eyes closed and repeating the words the world I know it finally came to me. I couldn't think of the group that sang it but even that came after a few minutes. Collective soul quite an interesting name. Then I remembered the video that went along with the song. I ran to my ipod yes I am still ancient and use my ipod. Searched the group and wala there it was. If you know me and music I couldn't get to the song fast enough. I popped in the ear buds and pushed play. As soon as it began the lump in my throat formed and tears came to my eyes. Funny how powerful music, and many times the videos that go along with them, can do that to you. Music is my release. When I am feeling down I find a song. When I am feeling good I find a song. When I am sentimental I find a song. It never ends for me. I go to bed with music on my mind, wake in the middle of the night with music on my mind, and awaken with music on my mind. There are so many songs that connect me to people, places, and things I can never get enough. There are those songs when I hear them that make me think of a certain friend because of a memory and it always makes me laugh or at times cry depending on what person it is. I just plain love music and I know that is why it has such a powerful impact on my thoughts and my life.

The World I Know

Has our conscience shown?
Has the sweet breeze blown?
Has all the kindness gone?
Hope still lingers on

I drink myself of newfound pity
Sitting alone in New York City
And I don't know why

Are we listening
To hymns of offering?
Have we eyes to see
That love is gathering?

All the words that I've been reading
Have now started the act of bleeding into one
Into one

So I walk up on high and I step to the edge
To see my world below
And I laugh at myself while the tears roll down
'Cause it's the world I know, it's the world I know

I drink myself of newfound pity
Sitting alone in New York City
And I don't know why, I don't know why

So I walk up on high and I step to the edge
To see my world below
And I laugh at myself while the tears roll down
'Cause it's the world I know, it's the world I know

Yeah, I walk up on high and I step to the edge
To see my world below
And I laugh at myself while the tears roll down
'Cause it's the world I know, it's the world I know

I played and replayed the song/video a few times and the thoughts that came to my mind were almost overwhelming for me at the moment. As I sat there deep in my thoughts with no form of the real world around me, just my mind, I wondered. Has all the kindness gone from the world? I know it hasn't as I watch around me all the good that goes on but I am talking about the real kind of kindness. The kind that has no strings. The kind we don't have to brag about to everyone. The kind that isn't just for the small circle of people we come in contact with, you know our own comfort zone so to speak. We humans have a way of doing that you know. It's almost as if we forget about the needs out there and focus only on the close at heart but is that really what it is all about? I don't believe so. But then who am I? Just a drop in the muddy waters of life. A nothing to most people even to the ones who should care about me but don't. It's all irrelevent anyways. I stopped trying to figure all that out a long time ago and as the song says "Hope still lingers on."
Are we listening to Hymns of offering? Humm that one made me ponder for a few minutes. Hymns that we sing and often do not live. I wonder about this a lot. It makes no sense to me. Well, some carry them out in that small circle but I am once again talking about that BIG picture of all that surrounds us. Carrying them out when no one is looking and we just walk away after them. The kind that are between maybe the two people who were involved. The ones that make hearts sing with joy just for the sake of love. Hummmmm.

I wonder how many of us feel like the man in the video. I know I do. The times I look around and feel sad when I see what I see. Zombies in our own little worlds. Humm again. Then I wondered do I look like that when I am out in the world? Worse yet am I like that when I am at home alone doing nothing for anyone else. Walking in the dark cold world not seeing any color. The best part is when I get to that point where I am walking on the edge of not understanding someone something or someone helps me to see the good in the world. The color comes back and I have hope. Hope in a brighter future filled with love for all and no hatred for those who are different from us or for those who do not believe as we do. Sometimes that hatred makes me utterly crazy. I try to keep my eye on the colorful world even when all I see is the darkness closing in. When I have the darkness closing in on me I try to do something nice for someone who is not in my circle. I believe those little things matter in life so much more than doing something for the people you are always doing all those little things for. The times I see someone else do something nice for someone who needs it are the times that make me realize the color is always there I just forget to see it at times. It's funny how the realness of people shows the longer you get to know them. The ones who are genuine and doing things from their hearts vs the ones who try to impress everyone or maybe impress themselves? I don't know. We all get lost in the manatiny of life at times and begin to see the darkness, we are human we can't help it, but when we get to the edge that's the time! The time to make the color come back for someone else and surprisingly enough the color will come back to your life too and just maybe even brighter than you ever thought possible. Keep the hope!

God Bless!


Dianne