Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Theme Song #2

One a week, eh? Whoops. I'm sure you have found the suspense difficult to manage. :-) I apologize for that.

This next song isn't as happy as the last one. I chose this one because it motivates me. It's by Alanis Morissette, and it's called "Joining You." Full lyrics are here, and you can listen to the song here (again, please don't download). In the song, a friend has tried to kill herself. This conversation takes place after. Here's the chorus:

if we were our bodies
if we were our futures
if we were our defenses i'd be joining you
if we were our culture
if we were our leaders
if we were our denials i'd be joining you

She lists lots of other things: if we were our successes, projections, incomes, etc. All things that, if we actually were, she would join her friend in committing suicide. But she doesn't, because we aren't. Still, that begs the question: what are we? If not those things, then what?

This is my theme song because that is a question millions of people are asking. It is a question that sums up life in 21st century America. Life today is a quest for meaning, for purpose. Morissette herself sings as much:

you and I we're like 4 year olds
we want to know why and how come about everything
we want to reveal ourselves at will and speak our minds
and never talk small and be intuitive
and question mightily and find god my tortured beacon
we need to find like-minded companions

This is my theme song because I created The River for people like Alanis Morisette. People on a journey to ask questions, find God, and do it all with "like-minded companions." Listening to this song reminds of why I'm doing this, who it's for, and that the need is there. It gets me focused and centered. That's why it's my second theme song.

Coming in a few weeks: Theme Song #3, the one I listen to every Sunday on the drive to worship.