The other day while driving, I tuned into a favorite radio station, who played "oldies" during the lunch hour. Oldies? It's what I still listen to.  :)

 

I find it just incredible that a song can come on, and instantly transport you to another time - another place. Not only that, but it is remarkable how our minds remember the lyrics, the riffs - the whole song, note for note. Even if you never even really liked it back when it came out! 

 

As a side note, because it just popped into my head, my how times have changed. In so very many ways. A confession: when I was a little girl listening to the radio, I thought the music was all live, and that each band was in that radio station singing their hearts out. I was such an innocent.

 

 

Listening to the music of the 70's - the music of my youth set my mind adrift in a sea of memories.  Mentally comparing 'then & now'.  Where I was at, at any given place back in time - what my hopes were.  My dreams, aspirations...

 

Of course life never turns out how we plan, and lately I have found myself challenged by several things - all of them you might say came to me as complete and utter surprises, and beyond my personal control.... and not so much the good kind, let me tell you.  Things like the pricing increase as set forth by ACW USA, which has - to put it mildly, seriously affected the business I've been building over the last 4+ years.... and other disappointments, and bumps in my road to a simple life of moderate contentment.

 

The issues themselves are rather irrelevant.  We all have bumps in our roads, and challenges we must face.  Some of them are 'worse', or 'more challenging' than others, to be sure. 

 

This morning I had a moments madness - a moment of sheer melancholy.  I was thinking of Cat Stevens, and looked him up on YouTube and started singing along to "Peace Train", 'Morning has broken', and a few others.  I find it remarkable that as a young man in his 20's, he wrote such beautiful, timeless words.  Over 40 years ago!  Geez, that makes me feel so old.  Anyhow, then I came to this song:

 

 

As I'd mentioned earlier, I love singing along (even though honestly, I can't sing for beans)...  So I'm listening to the clear guitar - the first notes which I recalled instantly, and I start to sing, and I'm singing "taking a ride on a cosmic train", and HE'S singing "taking a ride into cyberspace".

 

Huh?  How kinda cool is that?  Without getting political (because I simply am not), here's a man who not only was a musical genius of his era, he changed his name, his faith, identity, and whatever else.  He changed into who he wanted to be, not pressured by his peers or society.  He changed the lyrics of his classic song!

 

I've come to the conclusion that is all we each can do.  Change. Evolve. Modify our thoughts and plans and actions.  I personally believe it's very much a good thing to keep some of our innocence and sense of wonder, and strive to keep a little bit of it in my life every day.  Admittedly, some days are harder than others!  ;)

 

So I've been trying to find a new balance, new paths to explore, new ways of thinking.    Go with the flow,  Times they are a changin'.  Onwards and upwards.  Good times ahead, and all that jazz.  If you know any others, please feel free to toss 'em in the pile. 

 

For the record, I still kind of like the concept of 'taking a ride on a cosmic train'.  

Enjoy your trip, wherever you may be heading...