Back to Me
Nov 29, 2007 hat box
I started this song a few weeks ago, it was mostly just a riff and some different tunes floating around my head. As a chorus melody started taking shape the phrase “run back to me” showed up. I hope to have a track cut by the weekend. If you live in Charlotte, I’ll be at the Americana this Saturday in Pineville playing in the NSAI lunch round from 11:30-2:30, and I’ll debut this song.
There’s a steppin’ stone in the middle of a stream
You been standin’ on
Water’s risin’ now it’s well above your feet
We both know it won’t be long till there’s
Nowhere to run
Nowhere to turn to
That haze behind you is smoke from bridges burned
Look back you’ll see I’m still within reach
When there’s nowhere to run – run back to me
Why’d you climb so high up in that tree?
What are you hiding from?
Did you lose at love, make a promise you can’t keep
Did your faith just go numb and there’s
CHORUS
Oohh – when life’s a broken road
Oohh – and the pieces get hard to hold – if there’s
Nowhere to run
Nowhere to turn to
That haze behind you is smoke from bridges burned
Look back you’ll see I’m still within reach
When there’s nowhere to run
Look back you’ll see I’m still within reach
When there’s nowhere to run – run back to me
2007 (c) Angelo Melendez
Tags: day in the life, get up and start again, test of faith
Quiet Afternoon
Nov 23, 2007 sojourn
I took a walk this afternoon, and found some interesting views to photograph just outside the confines of our neighborhood. The wind was blowing and the sun was bright, a great time for a walk. I plan to go back when the leaves thin out even more. I put the photos in a collage since there really aren’t any great pictures in this batch, and the collective muse portrays the gist more concisely, pls excuse the duplicates. Click the thumbnail to view…
I didn’t include elements that surround these relics — vinyl and brick exterior cookie-cutter houses. Pretty much the only fields left are utility right-of-ways and land where owners are just waiting for the right bid to cash in on their retirement. Sad reality is I soon won’t be able to look through trees without seeing a house. Though the haunting bitterness in the wind told me these woods are unwilling victims of “progress”, allowing my mind to wander amid the silenced memories of these fields brought a quiet rest to my soul. I need to do more of this exercise, and much more often.
For the Asking
Nov 18, 2007 faith
A songwriter friend asked me Friday night how I find time to do anything but work and tend to our family and household, in the context of a conversation about being a songwriter/artist. I thought about it (again — this wasn’t the first or last conversation on the matter) on the drive home and came to a simple conclusion: grace. Perhaps this sounds trite, but I see grace as the oil for my soul, and in context of the time and effort I’m able to put into music and writing, it’s all of grace.
First and foremost, I believe the source of this grace is God. But it’s practical manifestation is what I need to recognize, acknowledge daily, and most importantly be ever grateful for. Not just in a ho-hum prayer of thanks, but deep within, where thanksgiving trumps my passion for self-absorption.
I keep a dictionary of theology near my desk (Baker’s). Two grace definition keywords are speaking to me in the context of this thread: “undeserved favor”. It’s so easy for me to stumble over that which I don’t get done because of my commitments in life, that I’m prone to forgetting any time or effort applied toward writing is a measure of undeserved favor. I’m fortunate to have one job that supplies abundantly for our family instead of having to struggle working 14-16 hours daily to simply make ends meet. Our family is healthy. My wife encourages me to spend time on music and writing. Our children sing my songs back to me. So, how often and how do I thank them, and God? Honestly, not often enough — not by a longshot.
The very fact that I’m writing a post on this topic is grace in that God wants me to reflect on the the matter. I’m pretty sure it’s not about the music or songs, but about the scraping of the sludge on my heart. Psalm 51:6 says “surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.” I’ve read this passage almost daily now for a couple of weeks and these words are serving to oil the cracks left behind by the scraping. Grace is favor, it’s free, and it’s available to anyone who’s humble enough to want it and ask for it… including me.
Good Idea
Nov 11, 2007 sojourn
Last night my wife and I watched “Remember the Titans” for say the 7th time (give or take a time or two). There’s something about this story, so many life lessons and portrayals of both sides of the human spirit. But last night the scenes of exhilaration got me thinking about how it seems that type of fervor and joy is reserved for our high school and college years and revolve around “events”.
I never experienced those seasons on such a scale, but I can still relate. Don’t we all dream of being part of the big game? Might be sport, art, career, etc., but the potential for the rush of a big “win” is something I think most of us chase. So I peel back these thoughts over coffee this morning, and determine it’s all about effort. Where I put my efforts is where I either succeed or fail (duh!). My ideas, which lead to efforts, grow out of desire, even passion, for creating or doing something. Some of these ideas materialize into tangible outputs, others don’t.
The crux of this ramble ends up at this thought: I think about a lot of things, about doing good, making life happen, and not just for me, but others. But at the proverbial end of the day, if I don’t actually do anything, I end up with ideas whisped into the vortex of everyday living, often well intended, sometimes empty hearted.
Back to the movie, and the strong personalities that responded differently to their beliefs, hopes, and dreams. I guess if the Titans hadn’t won state, the fundamental lessons and history in the movie might have had less impact. But I’ve put this into a different context, too. Fact is, the great games, come from behind wins, suck it up and give all for the cause, in this case a football game, are all fleeting… so why bother?
Well, there’s character building. I know I’ve learned bunches from giving my all for a cause. Of course, if I don’t take what I’ve learned and repeat those elements along the way, it may have all been for not. So again, why bother? I kind of see the progression something like: dream>hope>do>repeat. Maybe this is oversimplified, and yes, we all have to contend with everyday living, but when I act against this model, things happen.
So, in order to keep this thread alive in my own day to day, I’m going to write an entry as often as I’m able, maybe specific to a hope or dream, maybe not. We’ll see… hopefully, I’ll stir chimes from others. C ya!