There are some songs that are as magical as in that Volkswagen commercial where everything moves in time to the music. That has happened to me before but never with quite this impact.
It was a lovely Saturday morning. I was, an usual, totting up the negatives in my life as I drove along the sun while listening to Paul McCartney. As I dwelled on my shortcomings and personal disasters, my attention shifted to the song "Too Much Rain." At that moment I passed an old man bent over a cane, moments later I noticed the handicapped icon on the license plate in front of my car. After a brief stop at a traffic signal I passed three men in conversation outside a motorcycle shop where bright yellow motorcycles gleamed on the sidewalk. One of the men engaged the shopkeeper while the other cast a calculated glance at the two motorcycles nearest him. Moving on I saw a man barely moving as he sat in his outdoor home near the drug store. Paul sang "... it's not right, in one life, too much rain."
Of course it applied to me. My life is full of rain – although I have to admit no more than the average. Really. Then there are those who have had the misfortune of almost nothing but misfortune. Those who know no other way than the way of thievery, those who know nothing but illness, those whose best choice seems to be to live on the street.
Tears streamed down my face as I thought of how fortunate I am to have lots of good choices in my life and lots of freedom. I have a god/goddess/process that cares for me and guides me. There are those who don't. There I was gliding along in my shiny, clean, whole car with a job and place to live, a good family and good health. Yet I could think only of what I lacked.
I heard the refrain "who wants a happy and peaceful life?" and thought, not I. I would be bored for sure. What I have is definitely right for me. Today.
Since I can't link to the tune in iTunes (or anywhere else) I've posted the lyrics here.
Sure, Sir Paul has been more fortunate than many of us. His hard work has gotten him farther than some. Yet he also has had rain. I think of the story I read of a man who gained great fortune just as his son died of Leukemia. There are some things money can't buy. For everything else there's sun.
[You can listen to the entire album online by going to Paul's site and clicking on the "Chaos and Creation" album cover and then choosing "listen to the new album?" It's all flash so no way to publish a link here. You can also watch videos.]
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