Sail on Silver Girl
Sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way
See how they shine
If you need a friend
I’m sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
–Simon and Garfunkel
You might recognize these lyrics from one of my favorite songs, “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”
Lately, this song has been playing in my head. For one thing, it has my word of the year in it – Shine. I like the idea that there is a time to shine and that time has come. Politicians in an election year are fond of saying “This is our time.” Well, I don’t know about those particular politicians or their parties, but the time has come for us as individuals to shine. Whatever has hidden our flame has burned off. The clouds have parted. The fog has cleared. The batteries have been recharged. This is our time, our time to shine forth in blazing glory.
I love the image of dreams shining as they approach. I can indeed see how they shine. So beautiful. When I look at them, I don’t see form as much as I see light. I used to have more specific dreams, about people, places, things, or events. When I try to articulate my dreams now, they are beyond words. I don’t even know what they are. They are like precious gifts, as yet unopened, glowing with promise, bursting open like a pinata of brilliant sunshine as they arrive. Each one is a miracle.
I am comforted by the idea of a friend sailing right behind me, a steady presence of support, a shoulder to lean on, arms to lift me, love to ease my mind. I can think of people who have been there for me, especially in the last year. Friends consoled me, reassured me, and ultimately celebrated with me. Sometimes those people are a surprise. People you first turn to might, for whatever reason, not be there. But then others step out of the shadows into the light and open their hearts to you. What a blessed, blessed gift. I have tried to express my gratitude in wholly inadequate ways. How do you repay kindness and generosity like that? There is no repayment for what is priceless.
All we can do is pay it forward. I am humbled by the opportunity to be a friend sailing behind others, to listen, to encourage, to comfort, to assist, to blow like a gentle wind to fill their sails.
So today, dreams are on my mind. Shining dreams. All our dreams. Dreams whose time has come. And friends. Friends sailing behind us, carrying us safely over troubled water, easing our minds, blessing us with every breath.
Blessings to you, my friends, today and every shining day.
wowwwww i really Love this beautiful poem.To be honest your blog is my favorite blog I have ever read.It makes me really calm and happy.:)
ReplyDeleteIf you don't mind, will I use it in my blog,too?
gazal :)
puffy clouds, Thanks for your kind words. I would love to visit your blog, but there is no link. Can you give me your blog link? Email it to me if you like. You are welcome to use anything from this post if you will kindly give credit to me in your post and include a link back to my blog. The lyrics, of course, are free to anyone.
DeletePowerful Galen Pearl, I love the song and you gave it more sense that I could have imagined it has, you offered me a chance to see it from a different perspective. I will listen to it tonight again and I will hold your precious gift close to my heart - The time has come to shine truly.
ReplyDeleteTake care
Marie, I love this song, too, but never looked at the words so closely until I caught the word shine, and stopped to consider the lyrics. Thanks for your comment.
DeleteThe positive energy you have expressed is very much needed. Like many, I am completely turned off by the embarrassing spectacle of the political world at the moment. Focusing on the individual is empowering and uplifting. Shine is a perfect noun for 2012. Thanks, Galen.
ReplyDeleteBob, Thanks. I'm having a lot of fun exploring my new word!
DeleteWell, that's serendipity for ya. I was trying to write a blog post about this song and kept getting overwhelmed and frustrated because the dog is taking up my free time.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, the reason I like it now is quite different than why I liked it originally. At first I liked it for the reasons you've explained. It's only this past year I learned about the conflicts between their friendship and their career as a duo. I want to understand a writer's process, knowing more about how inspirations get re-shaped into art.
Simon and Garfunkel were close friends as schoolboys, tried to make it as an Everly Brothers-type duo, failed, then tried to hitch onto the folk scene, failed again, the act broke up after the first album (Wednesday Morning 3am) and Paul moved to England on a kind of musical and personal hejira. While he was gone, producer Tom Wilson re-mixed the tracks of Sound of Silence, adding parts and changing the style to make it more "folk-rock" like what The Byrds were doing with Dylan songs, and the remix became a huge hit, and Paul and Artie (who were no longer getting along personally) were forced back together by the demand for their "new sound".
Over their four year, four album career, they fought about every recording, nit-picking each arrangement, tearing the songs (and each other) apart. The upside was that the results of all those conflicts were beautiful and memorable, and the albums and singles were huge sellers.
By the fourth album, Paul could not bear to continue in this fashion. He made plans to start recording on his own while Art was away acting in the film "Catch 22". Paul wrote Bridge as a farewell song to their career and their friendship, and did not admit or explain it to Art. The original song did not contain the verse you quoted. It was the result of another of their arguments. Art and the engineer said the song had to have another verse, and Simon, longing to leave and get back to his wife and peace, wistfully recalled that her hair had just begun to gray.
Over the decades, the power of their duo songs and performances, diamonds formed from coal by pressure, have drawn them back together periodically for concerts. It's big, big money for them whenever they do it, but they are not able to handle being together for any extended period. I find that odd, sad, and fascinating. Sometimes the loveliest things come right out of pain.
Mikey, I hope you still write your post! You have already done a lot of the work on it in this comment. Thank you so very very much for all this background on a song I've always loved. I had no idea. I'm going to go back now over all the lyrics and read them with this information in mind. Your last sentence is so true. I can think of several things in my own life that bear witness to this. Thanks so much.
DeleteRemembering the Simon and Garefunkel days...thanks for the trip into my past a time that was "sweet" for me !
ReplyDeleteRhonda, Those were some interesting days! Thanks for commenting.
DeleteThose lyrics always bring happiness to my soul....as does stopping by here! Lovely, most incredible words of wisdom today. It reaches those waves inside of me that have been causing troubled waters my way...I thank you for that...and paying it forward we shall all keep up, as it brings full circle to all! May your entire week SHINE!
ReplyDeleteKaren, It's true, as you say that paying it forward brings more light and joy back to us. It's a circle of infinite potential. Thanks for your comment.
DeleteAgain... so much to relate to in this post. From this song which wrapped its loving arms around me after the sudden loss of my beautiful brother made me grow up fast... to the friends sailing right behind in recent times. So true that it's not the people you expect who turn out to be your greatest friends and advocates. Thanks Galen :-)
ReplyDeleteJean, A song can be that for us, can't it? How interesting that many of us have songs associated with certain memories, like the loss of your brother. Thanks you for commenting.
DeleteI love your post....I really love it. it's just so packed with power and good stuff. I hope the rest of the week totally shines for you
ReplyDeleteSarah, Thanks. I hope your week shines brightly, too! Thanks for commenting.
DeleteJust saying, "Hi," my friend.
ReplyDeleteJJ, Hi back atcha!
DeleteThey are like precious gifts, as yet unopened, glowing with promise, bursting open like a pinata of brilliant sunshine as they arrive. Each one is a miracle.
ReplyDeleteI love this. I am excited about the dreams that I am beginning to dream for myself. They are gifts, shining and welcome. Truly a miracle for me to even be dreaming again!
Alida, I got excited for you reading your comment! How lovely. I'm so happy for you.
DeleteWhen you shared your word Shine with us, I thought of this song right away and then is went out of my mind...how delightful to find it here
ReplyDeleteI am hoping that out of pain will come something remarkable like a successful song...
Thanks for sharing
Thank you to Mike for his comment too - I enjoyed the story
Patricia, I'm glad I reminded you of the song. And I agree that Mike's comment added a lot to the story. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteThanks dear Galen.:)
ReplyDeleteGhazal, You're welcome. And thanks for including the link. I'll be right over to visit.
DeleteJust discovered your site and I already love it. Your posts really give a person something to think about. I thought I had found my happy place; after reading your list; I think I have a way to go yet. I'll be back again and again
ReplyDeletelaveta, Welcome and thank you! I look forward to hearing more of your views. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteI do remember that song it was one of my mothers favorite songs. I am sure my father still has an 8 track tape with that song on it. I agree it is often hard to repay kindness. I am always on the look out for ways to be kind to others in return for theirs.
ReplyDeleteBonnie, 8 tracks--I remember those! Wouldn't it be great if everyone followed your model in kindness?! Thanks for your comment.
Deleteposted for Nancy Shields
ReplyDeleteThis post has touched me Galen - My "word" for this year is SPLENDOR - so shine I shall do....I love the analogies in this post...
Great job,
Nancy
Nancy, Splendor--I love that. It does indeed go so well with my word. In fact I think I can see you glowing from here! Thanks for commenting.
DeleteIt amazes me how often we are on the same page in our thoughts and writings, Galen! I just read this post today (Sunday). And several hours ago, I wrote my own post about fostering our dreams. However, my post lacked something that your post has in abundance - the role of friendship in "carrying us safely over troubled water, easing our minds, blessing us with every breath." Thank you for that much needed reminder. I know, for certainty, that I could not reach my dreams without the amazing support of my friends.
ReplyDeleteTherese, So glad you are back in the blog saddle. I always miss you when you are gone. I'll be right over to check out your post. Thanks for your comment.
DeleteHello My Friend - IE Finally works - I'm excited that I can leave comments again.
ReplyDeleteWell, this blog post touches my heart because my "word" for 2012 - is SPLENDOR - and splendor means great brightness, brillant light or luster....
I know you posted for me here - but I had to tell you again....
Great! Glad IE has caught up! And thanks for repeating your comment.
DeleteHappiness comes to them who opens their door for small treats that life provides to them. So be happy and live longer!
ReplyDeleteHappiness, Well said! Thanks for commenting.
Delete