"Cycles"

[ashetlandpony]

To judge by my postings, you'd probably never guess that I'm really a rather melancholy person. I often feel like the best days of my life are behind me, and that I have no real reason to go on. Especially during this past year or so, with all of its terrible losses, almost every time I go to bed, I lay my head down on the pillow, close my eyes and silently hope – sometimes even plead – that I won't wake up in the morning.

But then, as has happened to me so many times before, a simple song of perfect melody and meaning comes to comfort me in a moment of despair, and life feels born anew.

It's one of my "lost songs" – one I heard a couple of times on the radio when I was young, really liked, then, because of who sang it, it soon disappeared from the hit parade, and then disappeared from my memory.

A lifetime passed before I would hear it again...

"Cycles"





So I'm down and so I'm out
  But so are many others
So I feel like tryin' to hide
  My head 'neath these covers
Life is like the seasons
  After winter comes the spring
So I'll keep this smile awhile
  And see what tomorrow brings

I've been told and I believe
  That life is meant for livin'
And even when my chips are low
  There's still some left for givin'
I've been many places
  Maybe not as far as you
So I think I'll stay awhile
  And see if some dreams come true

There isn't much that I have learned
  Through all my foolish years
Except that life keeps runnin' in cycles
  First there's laughter, then those tears

But I'll keep my head up high
  Although I'm kinda tired
My gal just up and left last week
  Friday I got fired
You know it's almost funny
  But things can't get worse than now
So I'll keep on tryin' to sing
  But please, just don't ask me now

–Gayle Geddes Caldwell (1941-2009)


"So I think I'll stay awhile
And see if some dreams come true."

It is so wonderful to be alive.