Awesomeness from The Killers

You're allowed to do it

One of my assignments from my guitar teacher this past week was to listen to the new album, Born And Raised, by John Mayer. As you could guess, this is the kind of assignment I can take on with gusto. Wow, I have really enjoyed listening to it. The quote I texted you the other day is from a short, bluesy song titled Love Is a Verb (below).



I keep finding more and more to love about this album. I knew he had a reputation of being an incredible guitar player, but I am also amazed by his lyrics and how much of his insides seem to come through in these songs. Yesterday as I was driving back from lunch, the song that grabbed me was the second on the album, The Age of Worry. One of the comments under the You tube version below said, "This song gives me chills. It has the sing-along melody of an old church hymn, the musical quality of a dramatic soundtrack, lyrics that are uplifting and inspiring, and it's peppered with hint of Irish influence."



Alive in the age of worry
As I listened to it I thought of you, and me, and many of our discussions, and some of our challenges and struggles. I have wondered if we have reached a chronological age of "worry" or if we live in an age of worry when generations before did not. I don't think I buy this second option. I believe more likely, that our anxieties are discussed more openly today, with positive and negative consequences. Sometimes discussing them seems to make them better and other times it seems to have little effect or even make them worse. However, I can't imagine a human being who doesn't bump into their own fears on a regular basis. Hiding them from others doesn't hide them from ourselves.

Build your heart an army
To defend your innocence
while you do everything wrong


What I found as I listened to this song were different feelings than I expected, positive feelings, not negative.  It was interesting later, then, to see this clip of Mayer discussing his thoughts about the song. It was good to hear him describe wanting to have and give the emotions I experienced when I listened to this song. I certainly felt soothed by this song, and could identify with contracts we "sign" that end up creating anxiety in us. I like the part when he says, "this song is a series of permissions". Listening to this song somehow reminded me of the part of a church service after confession where there is a proclamation of forgiveness and a sending forth to freely live.

There's no time you must be home

So sleep where darkness falls

Dream your dreams but don't pretend
Make friends with who you are.

Regardless, my wish for you, in this month in the US and in this specific "age" of decision you find yourself in, is that you are free to live, even with the worry, if not in its absence. 

Close your eyes and clone yourself

Build your heart an army

To defend your innocence

While you do everything wrong

Don't be scared to walk alone

Don't be scared to like it

There's no time that you must be home

So sleep where darkness falls

Alive in the age of worry

Smile in the age of worry

Go wild in the age of worry

And say worry, why should I care?

No your fight is not within

Yours is with your timing

Dream your dreams but don't pretend

Make friends with what you are

Give your heart then change your mind

You're allowed to do it

Cause God knows it's been done to you

And somehow you got through it

Alive in the age of worry

Rage in the age of worry

Sing out in the age of worry

And say worry, why should I care?

Rage in the age of worry

Act your age in the age of worry

And say worry, get out of here!