4 years ago when I got sober I rarely went to bars and clubs. Finally one night Maurice and I went dancing (I love to dance). During our dancing the 1979 hit came on called “Born to be Alive” by Patrick Hernandez. We danced and swayed and then I started listening to the words “born to be alive” played repeatedly. I realized for the first time in a long while I was no longer surviving – I was living. I began laughing and crying right there on the spot. The feeling of joy overwhelmed me. It was a breakthrough moment in my life. Whenever I hear the song today it takes on that special meaning today. The song is repetitious but I never get tired of hearing it.
Any other moments of clarity out there to share? I’d love to read them.
I’m feeling depressed today, so I don’t have any witicisms or funny tales to tell, so I’ll try to make it up by a video that makes me laugh. It’s not horrible but it’s the lack of enthusiasm from Hernandez is very odd. Wow, videos have come a long way.
Enjoy
Well done, it must have felt great to realise your no longer living in one big struggle and you can start enjoying life again as it should be.I’m really happy for you. Well done.
The song “Mourning into Dancing” is such a joyous song, but when it came out all I could do was cry because it was just so painful to me. One day we were singing it at church and I braced myself for painful tears, but instead of painful tears I cried tears of joy. What I felt like God had put into my heart was that He had already done that in some areas (turned my mourning into dancing) even if I didn’t feel it and it was His promise to me that I would feel the joy the song speaks about. Well, after many years, the song became a joyous one that I would sing as an expression of thankfulness for God’s faithfulness to me or claiming its promise. Now, during this major depressive episode, it is a reminder that I will one day sing this song again at my church with thankfulness. The song was inspired by “You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.” (Psalm 30:11-12, NLT)If you want to hear the song or see the words it is in a post at http://clinicallyclueless.blogspot.com/2008/05/mourning-into-dancing-let-me-worship-in.htmlSorry this was so long Bradley.
My moment of clarity, so to speak, came when I was engaged in my fav activity of times ago, surfing. I was 17.Didn’t believe in nothing, trusted no one, was angry a lot. Long story short, surfed as sun was rising in a remote locale completely alone. For some reason everything clicked, my belief in God was established, got a sense of mortality and the knowledge to appreciate the here and now was paramount.Yep, that was it:)
How ironic! Singing a song about seizing the joys of life and not getting chained down, and I’ve never seen anyone look quite so apathetic and dead!!At least he sneaks in a couple of smirks near the end!~Shiv
Wow…did you see the tie??? Not much enthusiasm in that video… I love to dance but unfortunetly haven’t done it in what seems like forever…unless I’m by myself of course…My “moments of clarity” often come when I’m on a beach,one of my most favorite places to be or walking along my street, which is lovely and quite…Enjoy your day BradleyCheers
I’ve been strung out lately on “Angel” by Sarah McLachlin I never knew it was written for the keyboardest of the Smashing Pumpkins who died of a drug overdose. It’s sad and haunting but seems so true to me…”Spend all your time waiting for that second chance…”. It’s on you tube plus I think she’s enlightened and gorgeous.
It seems as though clarity hits when you least expect it – for me it is when I finally realize I need to just let go and not try to fix everything in a given situation on my own. Songs trigger that sometimes for me too when I’m in mid-commute.Kim