Tell Me Something Good

Last night my daughter and I were watching Happy Feet, a movie about singing penguins that includes one scene with a montage of songs from the 70s and 80s. I heard a lot of lines from old faves, but this is the one that's still with me upon waking the next morning. And I think I know exactly why.

I talk a lot about opening your heart to love, but I haven't given a lot of credence to the reasons we so often don't. Here's the reason, in a nutshell: it's scary.

Last night, I had some really uncomfortable feelings come up that were related to the lack of control that necessarily comes to surrendering to something that big. I didn't like it, and a few months or even weeks ago, I might've just started talking my way out of it -- focusing on the things I don't like or that are difficult -- and managing to arrive at the conclusion that takes me right back to the power seat, right back in control -- as if I could say to myself "Good. Yep. That's better. You don't need to feel that way. You can still just walk away." At that point, the first verse described where at least part of me still lived:

You ain't got no kind of feeling inside

I got something that will sure 'nuff set your stuff on fire

You refuse to put anything before your pride

I got something that will knock all your pride aside

But I did let in. Wall after wall came down. And I got to the place where I was open and asking for and receiving all of this:

Tell me something good (tell me, tell me, tell me)

Tell me that you love me

Tell me something good (tell me, tell me, tell me)

Tell me that you like it, yeah

Got no time is what you're known to say

I'll make you wish there were 48 hours to each day

Problem is you ain't been loved like you should

What I got to give will sure 'nuff do you good

And now that I've been in that timeless, dimensionless place, where wishing I had 48 hours in each day only scratches the surface of the strength of my desire, now that I've been loved like I should, now that I've had something that sure 'nuff did me good, I'm finding myself a little lost again now that the physical separation is back.

But it's a different kind of lost than it used to be. I no longer have the desire to find more solid ground if it means moving away from love. How's that for telling you something good?