Howdy,
Was listening to the Cathedrals album by Tenth Avenue North in the car this morning, taking Jasper to school. It’s a fantastic, rich work of art and spirit by the way; I’ve recommended it before, and I’d recommend it again. Tenth Ave N. has strong, meaningful songs on all their records—seem to come from a good place.
One of this morning’s songs playing was track 2 “Stars in the night,” and Jasper liked it; particularly about the fight. He started to sing a bit in the chorus, “Hallelujah, we’re running to you // On fire from the mercy in your eyes // And through the dark, singing we are yours // Your love will lead us through the fight // Like stars in the night // Like stars in the night // Like stars in the night // Lead us through the fight …”
That quote represents the words from the CD jacket, not Jasper’s singing on the first pass … so I clicked left to repeat the start of the song and give him another shot—it’s so sweet to hear your kids singing good lyrics—but I accidentally backtracked to the disc’s opening song, apparently, because (and I’m just putting this together now as I write) I got tangled in the wrong “fight.”
Each of the first two tracks feature fights, I see.
What’s funny is I told Jasper, “You like the fight part, don’t you?” He nodded. And after listening a beat, I said, “This is a good reminder for kids and parents.”
That doesn’t makes sense now, looking at the lyrics for “Stars in the night,” but I said that because the song “No man is an island” has a progression that goes like this.
“You don’t have to fight me, I am for you.” Which I can hear a parent (who wouldn’t even have to be overly frustrated at this point) explaining to progeny, can’t you?
That settles it. I mean, I know my kids get stuff at the first sit-down (running-around) lecture of words washing out in a frothy sea of words, splashing under torrents of words, spilling from adults above, giving the words “what” and “for.”
Bucket of cold water … to the face! I’m back.
Mucho take it Eeesay!
Next, “Please don’t try to fight me, I am for you.” Please. Now we’re practically begging. Words drying up, inflection engaged as the rudder to “lead us through the fight.”
Finally, in speech pattern sounding remarkably like three-year-old Titus himself: “Why you try to fight me?”
And, parents, you better be for your children. Because they will try to fight you.
But, as both songs combine to say, “ … // We don’t have to do it alone” and “ … // The life that lies ahead is more than all we leave behind // Stars in the night … // Your love will lead us through the fight.”
—Billy
Reading. Writing. Living.
Word Count: 116,198 / On Pace: 113,850 / Year’s Goal: 200,000
Please subscribe to mailing list for the Reading Writing Living journey we’re on and get my newsletter goods. Thank you.