"We all have wings, but some of us don't know why."
Of the several long-running series created for my blog, Words for the Ages - now in its tenth year - seems to light a brighter fire than others, especially with respect to reader comments. Special thanks today to JT, who recently reminded me of the terse phrase above from an INXS song entitled Never Tear Us Apart. Today is the third instance when I've used a sharp reader's input to help keep this series vibrant and true to its mission.
Who can reasonably dispute that some people go through life without realizing their potential? This essential truth is delivered in the phrase above via the use of wings as a metaphor; simple and elegant. Eleven words for the ages; concise, able to stand on their own, timeless. Although not often cited for his lyrics, Michael Hutchence, the charismatic lead singer of INXS, clearly hit the mark this time. Got a lyric you think conveys a similar message just as succinctly? Please share it here. I'm confident I'm not the only one interested.
I'm paying close enough attention all the time to know there's a finite supply of these aphorisms disguised as song lyrics. However, I'm pleased to report some astute readers have apparently been inspired enough by recent iterations of Words for the Ages that they have given me a surplus to work from over the coming months. So, stay tuned commenters. That gem you suggested could be next. And big thanks for your help.
While not referring to unrealized potential as much as unrealized dreams, these lyrics from Joe Jackson's "The Man Who Wrote Danny Boy" always speak to me:
ReplyDelete"You can't hold onto shadows no more than to years
So be glad for the pleasures we're young enough to enjoy"
The lyric reminds me to stay in the moment and be grateful for what I have, rather than dwelling on what could have been.
Sweetheart; Great lyric from an amazing song that is about both unrealized dreams and our human need to leave a legacy. In an uncanny coincidence, I'm about to feature that exact song in my next music class which starts this Thursday (10/29) and runs for three weeks. I'll be thinking of your pertinent comment when I play "The Man Who Wrote Danny Boy".
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