Sunday, September 9, 2007

A Metaphor By Which to Live

We all make mistakes as we traverse this journey called life. Some of us have a hard time letting go of those mistakes. We rerun them again and again in our minds, going over every detail, obsessing and regretting. It’s as if we’re fearful we’ll repeat our mistakes if we don’t hang on to them. Or maybe we feel the need to punish ourselves for our poor judgment. Who knows the reasons why? I’m sure there are a myriad of them, conscious and subconscious.

Then there are those of us who, from no fault of our own, are handed severe challenges in life that don’t always end on a positive note, if they end at all. At times these challenges seem overwhelming and we can’t see that proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. Over time, we might even become bitter and hard in an effort to protect our hearts, our feelings, and our minds, allowing ourselves to become victims of life circumstance.

One day while pondering these things, I was especially moved by a song on a Jimmy Buffett C.D., Take the Weather with You, I bought a while back. The song, though concerning hurricane Katrina, is a great metaphor for life.


I share the lyrics of that song with you now in hopes that they will be of comfort and strength to any who are in such need.


BREATHE IN, BREATHE OUT, MOVE ON
By Jimmy Buffett and Matt Betton
I bought a cheap watch from the crazy man
Floating down Canal
It doesn’t use numbers or move any hands
It always just says now
Now you may be thinking that I was had
But this watch is never wrong
And if I have trouble the warranty said
Breathe in breathe out move on

And it rained
It was really nothing new
And it blew
We’ve seen all that before
And it poured
The earth began to strain
Ponchartrain
Leaking through the door
Tides at war

If a hurricane doesn’t leave you dead
It will make you strong
Don’t try to explain just nod your head
Breathe in breathe out move on

And it rained
It was really nothing new
And it blew
We’ve seen all that before
And it poured
The earth began to strain
Ponchartrain
Buried the Ninth Ward
To the second floor

According to my watch the time is now
The past is dead and gone
Don’t try to shake it just nod your head
Breathe in breathe out move on
Don’t try to explain it just bow your head
Breathe in . . . breathe out . . . move on
Anonymous said...
Very good, Doug. Just what I needed to hear today, as I was going over and over those "past mistakes" yet again. Thanks!Walley Gator
Sunday, July 29, 2007 7:23:00 PM EDT
Doug Bagley said...
Glad it helped ya Walley
Sunday, July 29, 2007 7:42:00 PM EDT
doodlebugmom said...
thanks for sharing this Doug
Monday, July 30, 2007 8:47:00 AM EDT
Courtney said...
Wow! Great words to live by - "breathe in, breathe out, move on..."
Monday, July 30, 2007 10:18:00 AM EDT
Valerie said...
my boy Jimmy can sure write them.thanks for sharing.
Monday, July 30, 2007 9:03:00 PM EDT
JunieRose2005 said...
Great words in this song!

LZ Blogger said...
Doug ~ Another Parrothead? ME TOO! There are often some profound thoughts in Jimmy's words. In fact... even some JEWELS! Here's one... from "Trip Around The Sun” states; “I’m just hanging on as this old world keeps spinning and it’s good to know that it’s out of my control. If there is one thing I have leaned from all this living, is that... it wouldn’t change a thing if I let go.” Now that's PROFOUND! ~ jb///
Tuesday, July 31, 2007 4:54:00 PM EDT
Jules said...
Doug, love the words to that song and great advise to anyone Off to buy that CD.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007 8:33:00 AM EDT
BabyGirl said...
What a strange post for me to come across Doug. If you wonder what made you write this particular post at this particular time, let me assure you, that it was indeed meant to be.I just wanted to tell you that I have an update on my blog, after having been absent from the computer for some time and I wanted to share it with you.I hope your life is going well.babygirlbailey.blogspot.com
Wednesday, August 1, 2007 1:21:00 PM EDT
The Kept Woman said...
Good to see you around again!!Seriously...there's deep wisdom in Jimmy's music. The man has seen damn near everything. And for those songs that are just silly...those are nice to drink and laugh to.
Thursday, August 2, 2007 11:14:00 PM EDT
Courtney said...
Interested in hearing the back story about women going for other women!! Do tell :)
Friday, August 3, 2007 8:30:00 AM EDT
Renae said...
What a lovely post!! I just recently came out of a challenge that did not end on a positive noe. It was, however, for the best. Thanks for sharing!! Take care and be BLessed!
Friday, August 3, 2007 2:46:00 PM EDT
SonSon said...
Very nice and very moving. It's easy (at least for me) to get caught up in moments like you mentioned in your first two paragraghs. Great lyrics
Friday, August 3, 2007 4:19:00 PM EDT
kristi noser said...
I have a mantra (if you will) for this kind of problem: "Unclench and do the next thing". I should call the Pirate.Good blogpost Doug.
Friday, August 3, 2007 8:40:00 PM EDT
Suzy said...
So true Doug - "what don't kill you makes you strong" ;-)
Friday, August 3, 2007 11:12:00 PM EDT
Hale McKay said...
Good post - those lyrics can be applied to lot of our travails.Thanks for the visit and comments at my site.
Saturday, August 4, 2007 1:19:00 AM EDT
Posted by at No comments:

LIne, Line, Everywhere a Line

Our tiny subdivision has a (note the emphasis on “a”) stop sign that most of us treat as a yield sign. Not long ago, for the purpose of getting us to stop and not yield, a white line was painted in front of that sign. Much to my chagrin, it worked; I caught myself breaking to a stop the first few times I approached the sign.

This set me to thinking about lines and how we have to contend with them in almost every facet of life. There are lunch lines (of which if you cut in front of others you take your life into your own hands), check-out lines, starting lines, finish lines, foul lines, base lines, and crosswalk lines.

You can say a funny line, feed someone a line of bull, or walk the straight and narrow line.

You can “line up” but you can’t line down, and there’s a line you must tow at work or risk getting fired.

Some say lines on your face go where the smiles have been. Others say lines on your face make you look like a road atlas.

You can “draw a line in the sand,” which if crossed can lead to a number of negative things: arguments, fights, wars, divorce, hissy fits, grit between your toes and in your shoes, bites from sand fleas, etc. Thus, one often hears warnings about not “crossing the line.”

Although I’ve never actually been there, all my life I’ve feared what’s at “the end of the line” when warned if I continued acting “out of line (exactly what line I was supposed to act in I was never sure of)” that’s what was in store for me. Obviously I’ve managed to act in the correct line enough to avoid such a horrible fate.

When driving, a single or double solid yellow line down the center of the road means it’s unsafe and illegal to pass vehicles in front of you. As a side note, I think that’s such a waste of paint. Shouldn’t you be able to see with your own eyes whether or not it’s unsafe to pass? I mean, if a driver needs a solid yellow line in the center of the road to let him know it’s unsafe to pass on a hair-pin curve get out of his way!

And hey, if you’re driving behind a slow moving car when approaching a sharp curve on a winding mountain road and you think to yourself, “My, my, my, that slow-poke in front of me is cramping my style. I’m think I’ll just pass him even though I can’t see around this pesky curve,” I want to know where the heck you got your driver’s license, off a box of corn flakes?!

Yes, life is full of lines, can’t avoid them. But as much as I detest them I must learn to live with them, work with them, adapt to them, and respect them. If I don’t I might end up finding out just what is at the end of the line, and one thing’s for certain, it can’t be anything good.

5 comments:
skrpndiva said...
Very clever and quite witty!Jacquie
Monday, September 3, 2007 4:04:00 PM EDT
Valerie said...
Tuesday, September 4, 2007 8:07:00 AM EDT
Suzy said...
do you have a clothes line? or do you use a dryer?
Sunday, September 9, 2007 7:12:00 AM EDT
Renae said...
Wonderful post Doug!! Certainly get's the mind to think about all the lines in life.
Sunday, September 9, 2007 3:36:00 PM EDT
Doug Bagley said...
Everybody, thanks for taking the time to read and comment on my posts. I don't have a clothes line but have been "closed lined" while playing American football, cost me three shoulder surgeries.I not only seem to end up in the wrong line but often the long line as well. Thinking of all the lines in life can give you a headache if you're not careful, lol.
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)