We Were Alive, We Were Alone

While I like to write about the many things that concern and interest me (religion, natural history, politics, philosophy, etc.), I am primarily a poet and songwriter. I find it easiest to convey my ideas and epiphanies through music. Lately, I have been really considering why I do the things I do and have been delving into the many different accounts and beliefs of how we all got here.

I still chose to live within the Christian faith. Many times I have been forced to ask myself, why? Ultimately, it is because I believe in striving for something higher than myself. Love that transcends, well… everything else. I find that in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, and they still move me in ways that few other writings can. I am fascinated by the way that these ancient ideas still live on. I appreciate the way that they influence the actions of the faith community I belong to in helping the greater community to which we consider ourselves servants. I also still find the familiar traditions of Christianity to be helpful and meaningful in my life. Have I stumbled on some unchanging ultimate Truth? I cannot be so arrogant to think so. What I can say is that, for my life, I believe I am better for it.

In thinking about all of this, I decided to write my own human mythology. One that makes more sense from where I am now. Its a song. I still don’t know if it will make it into my regular catalogue or not, but either way I want to share it. I hope I have gained some better understanding of who I am from this. I think I have.

We Were Alive, We Were Alone

We woke up in a world of life

And gazed upon the evening sky

One hundred billion lights

Heaven spirits to guide the night

With a twinkle in our eye

Deep in Eden, cradled tight

The morning-god began to rise

On the dawn of the human mind

We were alive.

Then we came down from the trees

To golden plains and crystal seas

And we spread our holy seed

As far as the eye could see

Then we let our garden grow

And we reaped what we had sown

But somewhere deep within our soul

We wanted to be known

We were alone.

Then the voices in our head

Spoke of life beyond the dead

And every word that they said

Felt like heaven’s very breath

We built alters to the sun

We searched for the chosen one

When we looked back at all we’d done

We still stood where we had begun

All the gods that we had made

Could not pull us past the grave

Still we worshipped, still we prayed

Still we were longing to be saved

We could be right, we could be wrong

While we are weak we still are strong

Searching for the place where we belong

Our salvation won’t be long

We will live on

We will live on

We will live on.

Copyright 2009 Drew Stedman