Flip the script!

I have been doing interviews for the last 3 days, and I feel like I’ve said the same thing over and over again. I know that when I write, I intend towards saying something a tad prophetic, honest, and compelling to those who click here. I may be repeating myself.

But, it seems there’s a cyclical nature to all of these stories. As if things repeat themselves in a manner that it’s really hard to distinguish whether it’s happened before, or if I’m just tired, and missed the moment previously. Hah.

A new friend, Robert, said something a few months ago that it’s taken some time to truly understand. It seems to make sense of that feeling, especially in regards to our skeletons, scars, or familiar haunts.

He said what draws him from those places is changing the script. As it’s prone to happen in such a familiar way, he has to introduce new characters into the story. This pushes against the nature of false security and the drifting into a life that gets barely lived and quietly fades away. If we don’t, he said, we’re destined to continue repeating the same unsatisfying medications. The same story.

Not long ago, I was given Elbow’s last record, “Cast of Thousands.” The song “Ribcage” taps this a bit.



“…we did a real thing, didn’t we?
gave ourselves a name,
and peeled away the shame.
I wanted to explode
to pull my ribs apart,
and let the sun inside.”

A striking image. In risking enough to write new characters into the story, and to be vulnerable in the story with them, it has a crazy effect. Whether it’s a bright, warm sun image or what I have mentioned as coming up for air and taking in pure oxygen, it gives glimpses of what life can be like when I give myself to the brokenness. Hold hands with sorrow and suffering, as Much Afraid does. Further they sing….

“and when the sunshine,
throwing me a life-line,
finds it’s way into my room
all I need is you.”

For me, this means moving from isolation towards community and relationship. Being a good friend. Which is messy. So, for the desire and courage to do that.