This morning I stumbled upon a song by singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne by the name of “Empty”. Aesthetically, the song amazed me, with its sparse drum arrangement and pedal steel guitar that swirls around LaMontagne’s raspy voice. What surprised me, though, was the content and tone of the lyrics. You see, as of late I have actively searched for a message that is “positive”. What challenged me in this instance, then, is that I felt a strong connection with something so morose. Of course, I’ve had my share of pain, loss, and sadness. I am no stranger to the funeral setting. I am no stranger to tears, but I’m always aware that there is much light at the end of each figurative tunnel. I am not one, to, as LaMontagne puts it, “dwell in my disasters”, and I instead choose to “count my blessings.” Yet I was still so deeply moved, in an unknown direction, by this song. Now, however, some time after first hearing the song, my brain has already “made-up” some sort of meaning: perhaps the reason why I was so drawn to this song is that in order to recognize my own propensity for positivity I must first recognize the possibility of negativity.
I once heard a metaphor of unknown origins; that there are two wolves in each of us, who represent the “good” and “bad” characteristics of the human soul. Who emerges dominant? Whichever one we choose to ‘feed’. Perhaps that is what I can take from my experiences today and always.
Much Love, SuperForest,
Chris
This is an excerpt from a college short answer question. I’m paraphrasing, but the question asked: “Discuss a work of art, music, science, mathematics, or literature that challenged/surprised/unsettled you and why”. The linked portion at the end was one of the first posts I remember reading on SuperForest.
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