- 11 07 26 (Listening Day 5)
PEACE: 9 Min
RoW: 5 Min
Epiphany about why losing my partner has been so difficult
Sometimes something so simple can make a massive change. Music. Music is so incredibly powerful, as are stories. They both are literally in our DNA and is why we crave both so much.
We know that we sat around campfires and told stories even in “primitive times” and also had rhythmic chanting, drums, etc.
I was doing some menial, but much needed work on updating my finances. Always needed and frankly normally I have an accountant and then would have to sit down every couple of months and go over things. For now, it’s just me.
So I was listening to music. I already mentioned I have literally thousands of hours of music. from the 60’s through the 90’s and some 2000s+.
l hadn’t listened to Eagles in quite a while and I frankly LOVE them. So much of their music I grew up with from a little boy (I was born in Los Angeles 1971 and so were the Eagles). Their music has been with me almost from day one. But I digress, yet again. 
So I pulled out all their slow songs that I love and put it in a temporary list, so that way I’m not jarred out of my focus by one of their faster, “heavier” songs.
Then Wasted Time came on and that’s when the epiphany came and I dropped everything and then re listened to the song when it finished.
The reason is because of the incredible lyrics and how they really hit home:
Wasted Time (lyrics)
Well baby, there you stand
With your little head down in your hand
Oh my God, you can’t believe it’s happening again
Your baby’s gone and you’re all alone
And it looks like the end
Back out on the street
And you’re trying to remember, oh
How do you start it over
You don’t know if you can
You don’t care much for a stranger’s touch
But you can’t hold your man
You never thought you’d be alone
This far down the line
But I know what’s been on your mind
You’re afraid it’s all been wasted time
The autumn leaves have got you thinking
About the first time that you fell, fell
You didn’t love the boy too much
No, no you just loved the boy too well, yeah
So you live from day to day
And you dream about tomorrow
And the hours go by like minutes
And the shadows come to stay
So you take a little something to make them go away
And I could have done so many things, baby
If I could only stop my mind
From wondering what I left behind
And from worrying about this wasted time
The love has come and gone
The years keep rushing on
I remember what you told me
Before you went out on your own
Sometimes to keep it together
You got to leave it alone
So you can get on with your search, baby
And I can get on with mine
Maybe someday we will find
That it wasn’t really wasted time
Written by: Glenn Lewis Frey, Donald Hugh Henley
Album: Hotel California
Released: 1976
Absolutely beautiful song but damn are those lyrics really hitting home. I’m not old, but I’m older. Part of me absolutely feels I’m “too old”. I’m running out of time. Has it all been a waste of time? Blah, blah, blah.
I’m not going to lie, all these thoughts have gone through my head. Some of them a part of me is convinced that it’s true. Bullshit! Yeah, I need some work. I’m not going to lie, stress and grief have taken their toll. I have somewhat let myself go. I admit it. I sort of gave up while at the same time trying to move past all of this, but still honor myself, my partner and our relationship.
I will NEVER dishonor my partner or our relationship. But I’ve been f*n scared. Can I come back? Why should I really even try (don’t worry, I’m not depressed, but it is something you ask yourself once you get a certain age)? Again, blah, blah, blah.
Funny thing is, this one song actually massively helps out my homework assignment from therapy. It doesn’t take care of it all because we need to go into more depth, but it certainly is the jist of everything and covers it incredibly well.
Thank you Glenn Frey & Don Henley! 50 years later (literally to the year!) and your lyrics took care of my therapy homework.
