Both Sides Now

Maybe it is an approaching birthday, or maybe just the season I am in, but lately I have thought a lot about how there are two sides in living life. From the journey that I have chosen so far, without giving judgment, I have seen life from both sides. Joni Mitchell does a great job expressing this way of looking at life in her song Both Sides Now. Here are the lyrics.


Rows and floes of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere
I've looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way
I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale comes real
I've looked at love that way

But now it's just another show
You leave 'em laughing when you go
And if you care, don't let them know
Don't give yourself away

I've looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall
I really don't know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say "I love you" right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I've looked at life that way

But now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say I've changed
Well something's lost, but something's gained
In living every day

I've looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all
I've looked at life from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all


Some describe it as a loss of innocence after living with the realities of life. I think it is more of a realization that to be happy or successful in life you have to keep an open mind. What you thought you needed today after you received it, might end up making you unhappy tomorrow. Or you might think you have all the answers and know what to do but after it is done, it doesn’t go anyway like you planned and leaves you with more questions.

Even after all that I have lived in my life; I still don’t know life at all. There is always two ways of looking at something. I have always chosen to look at life with optimism. Some would say to a fault and maybe at times they have been right. But it has brought me real happiness and the ability to give encouragement to others.

But I am not naïve and have lived enough of life to know that you can’t live it with rose colored glasses. I had to feel pain to feel joy. I had to feel loss to truly appreciate what I had. I needed to have heartbreak to know how to love and be loved. And I needed to be the one that left, as well as the one that was left behind, to know how to take care of hearts.

I have changed from the lessons I have learned in my life. I am sure I have much change ahead of me as well, as I continue to learn and try my best to figure out life. And I now appreciate the meaning so much more that something is lost but something is gained in living life every day.

Until next time.

Christy

Currently listening : Both Sides Now By Joni Mitchell Release date: 21 March, 2000