"Strangest Thing" by The War on Drugs
Reflection
There have been periods in my life where I felt like I was just coasting through life. I felt numb. Nothing felt really good or really bad. I was on autopilot. I got caught up in the busyness of life and my routines and forgot about really living with purpose and intentionality.
Am I just livin' in the space between
The beauty and the pain
And the real thing
This song by The War on Drugs asks the question of what does it mean to truly live. I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with "living in the space between the beauty and the pain" though when that is happening, it is easy to forget "the real thing". I start to lose joy in the everyday moments in life such as seeing fresh flowers in my neighborhood or biting into a crisp ripe apple. It is those everyday moments that can bring joy and purpose to an otherwise "normal" day.
This song has been a reminder to me when I start to go on autopilot. It is a reminder that there is more to life than the blasé and routines that I tend to get caught up in. It is a reminder that God loves me and desires that I experience the fullness of life. It doesn't mean it is always going to be joyful and easy, but the pain makes the beauty that much more vibrant.
Links
Lyrics
Some are right underneath
And how I look today
I've been hiding out so long
I gotta find another way
Late at night, I wanna see you
Well, my eyes, they begin to fade
Am I just livin' in the space between
The beauty and the pain
And the real thing
Now the sky is painted
In a wash of indigo
I've been holdin' on too long
That I hardly know the score
I recognize every face
But I ain't got everything I need
If I'm just livin' in the space between
The beauty and the pain
It's the strangest thing
Yeah, should I surround my life?
Surrounded by the hole
Surrounded by no other
I wanna ride it home
Yeah, be the writer of your own story
Let it turn into you into love again
Yeah, be the writer of your own story
Let it turn into you into love again
I wanna run, I wanna run
Yeah, be the writer of your own story
Yeah, be the writer of your own story
Further Reflection
What helps you to break out of the cycle of everyday life and live with purpose and intention?
Listen to The Life You Chose by Jason Isbell and reflect on the common theme of living with purpose