Bags and Things

The title comes from an old song by Dennis Lambert (if his name doesn't ring a bell; think Of All the Things; if it still doesn't, then you are very young.) and it came unbidden--as with most things that are inspired.

I was listening to music in the car while doing errands before 2006 ended and while listening to this song for the umpteenth time, I was struck by just how appropriate the lyrics were to the coming of a new year. The song speaks of moving on, leaving familiar and comfortable things behind, leaving hurts and habits behind and allowing hope in, that it may bring us to Heaven--at least, that is what it says to me. And while it may have been written by Lambert for a specific person in his life, it may very well have been written for God.

Dennis Lambert is a very powerful lyricist (vide Of All the Things, which to me is the perfectly written love song--complete, compelling with no wasted words; but that's another post altogether) and it shows in this particular song, viz:

BAGS AND THINGS
(Dennis Lambert)

I gave away my old guitar
but I still hear the music playin'
I kept my rhymes upon the wall
and kept the only words worth sayin'
I don't need faces now
to hide behind,
to say I'm diggin' when they're
really messing up my mind
The puppet dances by himself
He went and cut the strings
He don't have no time for
bags and things

I threw away my favorite smile,
the one I had to keep from cryin'
for in the sunshine of your eyes
the make believe in me was dyin'
You gave me all I need:
Reality,
You opened up the door
and let some heaven in on me
And if I want to touch the sky
You've given me the wings
Ain't no going back to
bags and things

I post this at the start of the year for my friends and brothers and sisters in my singles community who are grappling with change right now--trying to move on, leaving hurts and habits behind, trying to find hope in uncomfortable and new environments, looking for that heaven they've been familiar with all their life in strange worlds. May you find comfort and solace and affirmation in, ironically, a love song written in the 70's by a man whom most of you have not heard of--may you not be weighed down by the "bags and things" of 2006.

I post this also for myself as I come to terms with yet another year where He asks me, in His infinite and unfathomable wisdom, to "take nothing for (the) journey." I thank Him for the wings He has given me to be able to journey with Him and pray for the grace to not desire any longer the "bags and things" that I have left behind.