The Jackson Browne song “You Love the Thunder” is about a musician and a lover who joins him on tour, a thread that underlies many of the songs on Browne’s album, Running on Empty. The album explores life on the road from performances, to backstage, hotel rooms, and relationships with band members and audiences. The lyrics of “You Love the Thunder” suggest that while Browne’s lover may not always enjoy the difficult aspects of a musician’s life on the road, they are irresistibly drawn to the excitement of the lifestyle and the passion that runs through it like a vein of valuable ore. The line, “To be a woman in love with a man in search of the flame,” exemplifies the central meaning of the song: the enduring, though sometimes challenging, love for someone driven by a passionate, and likely spiritual quest.
This phrase came to me when I woke up this morning. I have no idea what it means, but it sounds interesting. So…let’s go exploring.
It could be someone telling me to recall the wrong turns I’ve made in life. To be honest, I haven’t made that many, but I’ve made enough. I’ve come perilously close to crashing and burning more than once.
I believe each one of us is walking a tightrope across a broad and deep chasm. Somehow, most of us are making it across. We are doing so by the hand of grace. Because we are loved. You might even say cherished. It’s easy to forget this love, but it is always there, like a gentle hand, guiding us on our way. I may often feel alone, but truly, I am not.
I hope these words help you on your journey. Have a wonderful day!
“The path forward may sometimes be unclear. And it may be messy. But the shared heart is calling, and we have an opportunity to make lasting shifts toward love and justice in our world.”
Some people are saying this is “the end of days” as prophesied in the bible.
I don’t believe it, but I have a great big question. Why is the good work of so many good people NOT creating a better world?
There are millions upon millions of courageous, charitable, loving acts of kindness offered from one person to another every single day.
If we stacked these everyday loving acts end-to-end, in a matter of weeks they would reach the Moon and back.
So, where is our better world?
It’s not here because the actions of “bad actors” are overwhelming the virtuous actions of “good actors.” The bad actors are tipping the scales in the wrong direction; towards the darkness—not the light.
The latest example of this is the Corona Virus.
I am furious at the oppressive, reprehensible Chinese government for foisting this plague upon the world.
They are responsible for the pandemic because they have not banned “live markets” in China where cats, dogs, rats and mice, among other abominations, are sold to people TO EAT.
It is highly likely the virus originated from a “live market” in Wuhan, China.
The Hong Kong government banned these markets long ago. So, why has the Chinese government allowed these obvious public health hazards to exist?
It is probably because the poor, downtrodden Chinese people don’t have enough healthy, clean food to eat, thanks to their totally misguided “leaders.”
And then there is this: The Chinese government censored and imprisoned a doctor in the city of Wuhan who could have stopped the plague at the outset. She wanted to quarantine the people who were originally exposed. The Chinese government didn’t want the facts to escape into the light of day. They saved face and dumb wittingly allowed the scourge to multiply. This brave doctor eventually died from the virus.
And now the world is infected.
Why must the many suffer from the sins of the few?
I cannot forgive the oppressive, Communist, Chinese government for this act of reckless irresponsibility, and for the cruel and inhuman punishment they regularly inflict upon their own people.
When this nightmare passes, the international community will have to take steps to pressure rogue governments like China to eliminate potential breeding grounds for deadly viruses.
Until then, I pray for the health and safety of all good people everywhere on this Earth.
Earth rising from the surface of the Moon
David Gittlin has written three feature length screenplays, produced two short films, and published three novels. Before quitting his day job, he spent more than thirty years as a marketing director building expertise in advertising, copy writing, corporate communications, collateral sales materials, website content/design and online marketing.
Heart Banter by David Gittlin 