the pass Archives - Epic Living

Lyrics for your Friday.

The Pass

Proud swagger out of the school yard
Waiting for the world’s applause
Rebel without a conscience
Martyr without a causeStatic on your frequency
Electrical storm in your veins
Raging at unreachable glory
Straining at invisible chains

And now you’re trembling on a rocky ledge
Staring down into a heartless sea
Can’t face life on a razor’s edge
Nothing’s what you thought it would be

All of us get lost in the darkness
Dreamers learn to steer by the stars
All of us do time in the gutter
Dreamers turn to look at the cars
Turn around and turn around and turn around
Turn around and walk the razor’s edge
Don’t turn your back
And slam the door on me

It’s not as if this barricade
Blocks the only road
It’s not as if you’re all alone
In wanting to explode

Someone set a bad example
Made surrender seem all right
The act of a noble warrior
Who lost the will to fight

And now you’re trembling on a rocky ledge
Staring down into a heartless sea
Done with life on a razor’s edge
Nothing’s what you thought it would be

No hero in your tragedy
No daring in your escape
No salutes for your surrender
Nothing noble in your fate
Christ, what have you done?

All of us get lost in the darkness

Dreamers learn to steer by the stars

–Neil Peart

That lyric is from the song The Pass.

What an appropriate verse to the theme of yesterday's post. Steering by the stars becomes important when traditional navigation becomes obsolete. This skill is needed when times are tough, but even more important when things are going well (we tend to think we don't need any help when the road is silk paved). Certainly, it is tough when darkness descends on a career or love. The choice is ours as to how we will respond. I for one, have not always responded well.

I had a vivid dream once where I was asked to come on a journey at night. The offer included a flashlight, so I felt secure in the knowledge that I would have enough light. I took the offer and proceeded forward. After some time, the flashlight began to dim and I realized the batteries were dying. Realizing that I had come to far to turn back, I looked up and saw millions of stars. I heard a voice that said, "now you will learn your direction by the stars." I woke up…

That dream came to me just when I needed it. It helped me understand the importance of learning and adapting. You might be skeptical, you might even be laughing. But the question remains; how do we steer when the light has ceased?

Here are a some tips:

If things are going well now, start learning about the principles of navigating through tough times. It will be painful at first because you may think the time would be better served enjoying the fruits. See the financial services industry about the foolishness of enjoying the fruits.
Don't go it alone. Hire a coach, find a mentor or seek out others who have experience (real experience) under their belt.
If you're in the darkness right now, then don't give up. But be sure you're on the right terrain. In other words, if you were never excited about being a social media guru, don't keep convincing yourself that you need to stay one.
If you don't expect your path to be easy, then you will learn what you need to learn.
Take time to rest.

Tag: the pass

The Pass

Steering by the Stars