Everyday Life

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I’ve recently been quite enamored with Coldplay’s latest album Everyday Life.  You know that feeling when a song really moves you?  Maybe it’s the music, or the lyrics, probably both.  

 Something resonates with your experience, and the song becomes a little nugget that you can carry with you.  Maybe it comforts, or challenges, or inspires.  That’s the power of music.  It can help us endure and not lose hope, living as we do in these crazy, mixed up times.  
I've long been a fan of Coldplay, but their latest offering is quite the gift.  It's a wonderfully eclectic mix of music genres, and highlights many diverse cultures. It's celebration, and lament, and challenge to "the way things are" in our world today.
As I start this blog, with the intention of sharing stories from everyday life, I resonate with the honesty in Coldplay’s song by the same name.  The opening verse of Everyday Life ask us, 
What in the world are we going to do?
Look at what everybody's going through
What kind of world do you want it to be?
Am I the future or the history?
What are we going to do?  We’re surrounded by abhorrent levels of gun violence; the environment is at the dangerous “point of no return;” the political system is a mess; the gap between rich and poor continues to grow.  
Our encounters with others are all too often not a real chance at dialogue, but rather a talking OVER - trying to prove a point or perspective, mouths moving more quickly than ears attentively listening.  It’s enough to want to make you bury your head in the sand!  
Coldplay’s song continues,
How in the world I am going to see?
You as my brother
Not my enemy?
What in the world are we going to do?  Maybe it goes without saying, but there are no easy answers to this question.  There are no quick fixes, no step-by-step guides to navigating life in this complicated world.
But the answers might start to come, perhaps in slow yet steady waves, when we take to heart that we are truly all in this together.  Coldplay expresses our shared humanity in this way:
'Cause everyone hurts
Everyone cries
Everyone tells each other all kinds of lies
Everyone falls
Everybody dreams and doubts
Got to keep dancing when the lights go out
When we realize that everyone hurts, we can aim for more understanding and compassion.
When we realize that everybody dreams and doubts, we can honor each others’ stories as well as our own.  
We can encourage one another to “keep dancing when the lights go out.” 


I think “dancing” means doing whatever it takes to keep hope alive in the midst of dark times.  Do whatever it takes to see the positive amidst a world so full of negative.  Do whatever it takes to scatter some joy and laughter.  
Dancing beautifully takes different forms for different people.  Some dance by turning to their faith and holy scriptures.  Some dance by seeking out and building community. Some dance through the gift of comedy.  Some dance by writing poetry, or letters to the editor.  Some will literally dance even though the world might say it’s silly or frivolous! 
There are as many ways to dance as there are people.  The important thing is that we all take to the dancefloor.  The world needs our dancing! 
So do that one thing of yours, or perhaps those many things, that beat back the darkness.  
The world will not shine with the brilliance of goodness and light overnight, but that mustn’t stop us from shining our lights.  
Friends, how will you dance?



“ ‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul

And sings the tune without the words

And never stops – at all.”

-        Emily Dickinson

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