'Cause with you, I'd withstand all of Hell to hold your hand. This line calls to mind the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice. This story and its hard lessons has been on my mind lately. Orpheus was the son of Apollo and the Muse of Music, Calliope. He was a magnificent museum and when he played his lyre, all of Creation was entranced. Orpheus fell in love with a woman called Eurydice and they married. But one day, while dancing in the forest, she was bitten by a snake and died instantly. As Orpheus sang in grief, the world grieved with him - creatures, humans, and gods alike. He decides that he is going to venture to the Underworld and beg its queen, Persephone, to resurrect his True Love. To get there, he charms Cerberus to calmness and pays Charon, the ferryman, in songs. At first, Hades will not grant Orpheus's request - no one escapes his domain. But Orpheus plays and sings of Eurydice's beauty and even Hades is moved. Persephone convinces her husband to allow Orpheus to leave with his beloved wife. Hades agrees, but on the condition that Orpheus not look upon her until they are out of the Underworld. Persephone tells Orpheus that Eurydice that will walk behind him and he must not turnaround, no matter what he hears or doesn't hear. At first, it seems easy enough. But as he gets closer and closer to the edge of the Underworld, doubt and fear takes hold of his heart. With the threshold of the human world a few feet before him, Orpheus looks behind him to ensure that he has not been made a fool by the gods. The last he sees of his beautiful Eurydice is her shade being whisked back to the Underworld. He lost his faith when everything he wanted was within his grasp. The lesson in this - trust that the gods have your back and stay on the path as directed.
I love this story and I love the opera and, as it just so happens, Gluck wrote an opera telling the tragic tale of Orpheus and his dearly departed bride, Eurydice. It has always been a dream of mine that - if I made enough money - I would have season opera passes. Unfortunately, although I've reached an income level where that is actually feasible, it hasn't happened. I begged my parents to go see Orfeo ed Eurydice when it was being performed in Tucson, which they did....after I had moved to Texas. And - just my luck - when I first moved to San Antonio, this city didn't have an opera. Come on, man! Even El Paso had an established opera company when I lived there. Eventually, SA did establish one - in 2015, around the time I got pregnant. Oh well - I guess it wasn't meant to be, at least until I find a good babysitter. I'm not even sure The Husband will indulge me - I dragged him to the ballet once and he didn't get the point. But, at least he went with me the one time. Will it ever happen again? Doubtful. Luckily, I don't mind going alone. You can afford better seats when you're only buying one ticket.
This time, this place, misused, mistakes
Too long, too late, who was I to make you wait?
Just one chance, just one breath
Just in case there's just one left
'Cause you know you know, you know
That I love you I have loved you all along and I miss you
Been far away for far too long
I keep dreaming you'll be with me and you'll never go
Stop breathing if I don't see you anymore
Went on a bit of a tangent but I'm back now. I like this song because it's so vulnerable. Clearly, the guy fucked up somehow (or made a choice that put some distance between them) and now, the one he loves isn't there. He's asking for a second chance, hoping for a second chance, because if he knew what he knew now, he wouldn't make the same choices. Unfortunately, we don't know the outcome. All we hear is the apology part. Does he/she accept? Is he even singing this to anyone or is this just written down in a book somewhere, because he pushed the other person so far away that he can't even apologize properly? Again, more hard lessons - you never know how important someone is to you until they're gone forever.
The video is a tearjerker. A firefighter leaves the comfort of his bed and his wife to fight a wildfire. She watches the news, concerned whether or not he's okay. He's out there, doing his job valiantly. Then we see him save his friend when he's overcome by smoke inhalation and the helicopter leaves him. Oh no! But it was just tricky editing - the director cut out the part where the helicopter comes back so we're in suspense. He's there at the end to greet his wife and they share a passionate kiss. Which what you should do when your husband comes home from work, in my humble opinion, even if he's not a firefighter.
"Far Away" Video
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