In class yesterday we were asked to pick one song that we feel represents our lives. I love music and as all the songs when through my head it was hard to narrow it down to one. I decided to go with the song "The Heart of Life" by John Mayer.

Lyrics:

I hate to see you cry

Laying there in that position

There's things you need to hear

So turn off your tears and listen

Pain throws your heart to the ground

Love turns the whole thing around

No, it won't all go the way, it should

But I know the heart of life is good

You know it's nothing new

Bad news never had good timing

But then the circle of your friends

Will defend the silver lining

Pain throws your heart to the ground

Love turns the whole thing around

No, it won't all go the way, it should

But I know the heart of life is good

Pain throws your heart to the ground

Love turns the whole thing around

Fear is a friend who's misunderstood

But I know the heart of life is good

Music is a powerful thing. I chose this song specifically because I love the message it gives. Life can be difficult, but ultimately the heart of life is good.

For me personally I first heard this song when I was going through something really difficult. A mentor and friend of mine burned just this one song onto a CD for me and I listened to it almost every day. 

It helped me to maintain a hopeful perspective on life.

Now every time I hear this song it reminds me of the fact that it was hope and the people around me that helped me to get through that difficult time and will continue to get me through the rest of my life. 

There is some good in this world: Lessons in Lord of the Rings

I recently finished one of my all time favorite trilogies, none other than Lord of the Rings. I love these movies because I love the messages that are found throughout them. This time around there was one particular scene that stood out to me. At the end of the second movie Sam and Frodo have the following interaction...

Frodo: I can't do this, Sam.

Sam: I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.

Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?

Sam: That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo... and it's worth fighting for.

It was a powerful reminder to me of many things.

First, Life is hard and at times we may feel overcome with darkness. 

Second, there is a lot of bad things in the world. We see it every day on the news. Being as surrounded by it as we are it can cause us to lose hope. 

Third, this darkness is as Sam says "only a passing thing." 

Fourth, Light always outshines the darkness if we choose to see it. 

Fifth, we can have hope in the world and believe in the good and we can fight for it. 

There may be a lot of darkness in the world but there is also a lot of good. I would even say there is more light in the world than there is darkness. It is our decision which side we choose to be a part of, which side we choose to surround ourselves in, and whether or not we move forward despite the darkness.