Carry on my wayward son,

For there'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more

Wayward as in capricious, erratic, or unpredictable. Yesterday… Attended a fascinating “Big Band Era” production – twas really really marvelous. The second act opened with a long, soft, mellow instrumental – and I closed my eyes – envisioned – in what seemed like forever, was but a quick respite… a respite to look at those close, but now gone.. of youth, but no longer.. of good/great times – etched forever – but in the aft of life.

Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond the illusion
I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high
Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man
Though my mind could think I still was a mad man
I hear the voices when I'm dreamin', I can hear them say

I can still ‘hear’ my mother’s voice… my sister’s.. father’s… grandmother’s.. teachers, coaches, youthful friends, classmates, college buds – ago…. Songs of yesterday, sounds of yesterday, Long ago..

Carry on my wayward son,
For there'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more

Carry on, as in, the river will still flow. The pages to the book will still turn. The characters they come, the characters they go – there’ll be peace when we are done.


Masquerading as a man with a reason
My charade is the event of the season
And if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know
On a stormy sea of moving emotion
Tossed about I'm like a ship on the ocean
I set a course for winds of fortune, but I hear the voices say

Stormy, tossed, masquerading, charades – “wise”.. course for winds of fortune.. Those before us, those after us. Even those after them. Carry on.

Carry on my wayward son,
For there'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more

Weary ultimately happens.. sooner for some, later for others.. Fleeting, time here.
Carry on, you will always remember
Carry on, nothing equals the splendor
Now your life's no longer empty

Surely heaven waits for you
Carry on my wayward son,
For there'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more

Carry on… and let’s do so righteously… congruently (at least with peace amongst one another).. Harmonious.. in brotherhood.. Our paths always end, but others will carry on. Life is fleeting, let’s not cry no more.