The Journey

Motion, Passion, Spirit.

I woke to a wonderful surprise this morning, The Hubby had recorded Jimmy Fallon last night and Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band were guests.  Jimmy Fallon loves music and must be buds w/ The Boss.

Bruce was promoting his new album ‘Wrecking Ball’ due out on March 6, a mere three days from now, and I anxiously await the arrival.

I love music.  I love words.  It can’t get any better… a good sound and beat, passionate words set to rhythm and I begin to drown.

Of course The Boss is my favorite.  His lyrics speak to me about places I’ve been and places I’d like to go.  They have been a source of comfort and encouragement for me.  Lyrics about Jesus and the downhearted; he sings about the working class and raw love.  Insight to relationships that have been broken and repaired; he sing about the conflict w/ his father.  He sings about his first guitar gift from his mother and the way he describes her getting ready and going to work… amazing.  It's about a broken relationship with a brother that is severed and you just have to let it go.  They speak of war and salvation.  And who could ever overlook "Queen of the Supermarket"?  That little ditty about just being an ordinary woman.

I have two favorite songs:   Badlands & The Promised Land.  They are from the album ‘Darkness at the Edge of Town’ released in 1978, two years after I left home.  It was a time of rebellion and abandonment for me.  Those years are darkness for me, I only have small glimpses of them now.  But the lyrics of these two songs speak to me.

"Badlands" Lights out tonight, Trouble in the heartland, Got a head on collision, Smashin' in my guts, man, I'm caught in a cross fire, That I don't understand, I don't give a damn, for the same old played out scenes, I don't give a damn, for just the in betweens, Honey, I want the heart, I want the soul, I want control right now Talk about a dream, try to make it real You wake up in the night, with a fear so real, Spend your life waiting, for a moment that just don't come, Well, don't waste your time waiting, Badlands, you gotta live it everyday, Let the broken hearts stand As the price you've gotta pay, We'll keep pushin' till it's understood, and these badlands start treating us good. Workin' in the fields till you get your back burned, Workin' 'neath the wheel till you get your facts learned, Baby, I got my facts learned real good right now, Poor man wanna be rich, rich man wanna be king, And a king ain't satisfied, till he rules everything, I wanna go out tonight, I wanna find out what I got I believe in the love that you gave me, I believe in the hope that can save me, I believe in the faith and I pray, that someday it may raise me, Above these badlands Badlands, you gotta live it everyday, Let the broken hearts stand As the price you've gotta pay, We'll keep pushin' till it's understood, and these badlands start treating us good. For the ones who had a notion, A notion deep inside, That it ain't no sin to be glad you're alive I wanna find one face that ain't looking through me I wanna find one place, I wanna spit in the face of these badlands Badlands, you gotta live it everyday, Let the broken hearts stand As the price you've gotta pay, We'll keep pushin' till it's understood, and these badlands start treating us good.

"The Promised Land" On a rattlesnake speedway in the Utah desert I pick up my money and head back into town Driving cross the Waynesboro county line I got the radio on and I'm just killing time Working all day in my daddy's garage Driving all night, chasing some mirage Pretty soon little girl I'm gonna take charge. The dogs on main street howl, 'cause they understand, If I could take one moment into my hands Mister, I ain't a boy, no, I'm a man, And I believe in a promised land. I've done my best to live the right way I get up every morning and go to work each day But your eyes go blind and your blood runs cold Sometimes I feel so weak I just want to explode Explode and tear this town apart Take a knife and cut this pain from my heart Find somebody itching for something to start The dogs on main street howl, 'cause they understand, If I could take one moment into my hands Mister, I ain't a boy, no, I'm a man, And I believe in a promised land. There's a dark cloud rising from the desert floor I packed my bags and I'm heading straight into the storm Gonna be a twister to blow everything down That ain't got the faith to stand its ground Blow away the dreams that tear you apart Blow away the dreams that break your heart Blow away the lies that leave you nothing but lost and brokenhearted The dogs on main street howl, 'cause they understand, If I could take one moment into my hands Mister, I ain't a boy, no, I'm a man, And I believe in a promised land I believe in a promised land...

To wander lost in the Badlands, desolate, alone, abandoned;

”Workin' in the fields till you get your back burned,”

I believe in the faith

and I pray, that someday it may raise me,

Above these badlands

Badlands, you gotta live it everyday,

Let the broken hearts stand

As the price you've gotta pay,

We'll keep pushin' till it's understood,

and these badlands start treating us good.”

To have the hope of The Promised Land;

“Gonna be a twister to blow everything down

That ain't got the faith to stand its ground

Blow away the dreams that tear you apart

Blow away the dreams that break your heart

Blow away the lies that leave you nothing but lost and brokenhearted”

These words stir the warrior in me.  They remind me of the journey I have traveled and continue to discover on the path that I have yet to walk.  They have enabled me to be a strong woman, wife & mother.  I want my children to know this about me.  I think they already know, but I just want to remind them to feel the passion I’ve experienced to fight the struggles that we encounter every day.  We all are broken, but we all are repaired through “the faith to stand its ground”.

You will have broken hearts and broken spirits.  But always know that Faith will carry you to your Promised Land, whatever that may be for you.  It may be a career, marriage & parenthood.  I so hope so… because I want you to know the joy and completeness of those things.

I pray you are never lost or broken hearted; abandoned or alone.  I want you to know that you always have a place to come back to.  I hope you are able to find the joy of rebellion to bring you full circle to the place in life that you should be.  It's a wonderful journey... enjoy... be strong... but most of all... SURVIVE.