Music Monday #10: I Lived

Once again, my bag is packed. This summer has been: land, wash, rinse, pack, repeat. Whether it is a week long trip, a destination two states away, or overnight at my sister's place, I'm always on the move. And honestly I'd  have it no other way. I stay in a place for a week and I'm itching to just ... Well, go.

Thanks a lot Grenada, I blame this for you too.

On my most recent visit with my sister, she introduced me to One Republic's newest album, Native. I can't say that I listened to them much other than those almost irritatingly catchy radio hits years and years ago. But after listening to this album, it was love at first listen. Some songs I didn't care for as much, but this one really caught my attention.

I lived -One Republic-

The first verse starts:

Hope when you take that jumpYou don't feel the fall

-Taking jumps is a scary thing that we all do in life. Sometimes it's more of a push than a voluntary jump, but the fall comes eventually and I love the idea that the fall doesn't have to feel painful.

Hope when the water rises, You built a wall. Hope when the crowd screams out, They're screaming your name.

-This line isn't the last of the verse, but man it gives me goosebumps. I just think of what an incredible feeling it would be to have people screaming your name. Not literally per se, but just to have a huge crowd of people rooting for you, being on your side. 

Hope if everybody runs, You choose to stay.

-In this huge scary thing called life, there are times when we need to run, and times when we need to stay, and often, times when we need to do the unpopular thing.

Hope that you fall in love, And it hurts so bad, The only way you can know, You give it all you have

-I like this song because there are many ways to listen, hear, and interpret the lyrics. Ross heard this bit and thought this part was strange. I like it. I know the feeling of loving so much it hurts inside. But it's one of those "jumps" in life. It's one of those jumps that requires a running start. The kind where you swing your arms to "give it all you have." 

And I hope that you don't suffer But take the pain. Hope when the moment comes, You'll say... I, I, II did it all. I, I, II did it all. I owned every second that this world could give, I saw so many places, the things that I did. Yeah with every broken bone, I swear I lived

-The chorus is incredible. With flying to a new place and seeing family I haven't seen in literally years, I'm so anxious. Not in a bad, stressed out way, but a happy way. A really excited and happy way. When I first heard this song I thought about all my summer plans. I have so much planned and it is all so exhilarating. It's all happening all at once. I want to see so many places. I want to own every second this world gives me. And at the end of this summer, this year, this day, this month, this life... I hope I can swear that I lived.

Hope that you spend your days, And they all add up.

-I think this is my sister's favorite line in the song. It's clever. I spend so many days -yes, whole days- being worthless. It amounts to days that are, well, meaningless. But recently my days have really been adding up. It's time I will never get back, and when I spend it in a way that adds to my happiness, it builds me up and makes me rich. 

And when that sun goes down, Hope you raise your cup. Oh, oh oh. I wish that I could witness All your joy And all your pain But until my moment comes I'll say [CHORUS]

This song gives me this crazy feeling of invincibility. Like maybe I will just spread my wings and fly myself to Kentucky tomorrow. I keep listening to it on repeat and thinking of how much I have to look forward to in life. How lucky I am. How much work I still have left to do.