Once again I have slacked in blogging. Everything online now seems like you have to post it in order to manage your personal brand, which is exhausting to me. This is not one of those posts. I’m just going to write about a memory that I had, and how it was jogged, and how it still relates to how I feel today.
This is a powerful song by Bob Dylan when he was recording gospel music. Listen to it if you can. It’s called “Pressing On.”
Now, I’m not much of a gospel music listener, but this song is powerful and I’d grown up hearing my parents listen to it.
One day back in late 2007, my time as a volunteer was winding down. Most of my close friends had left the country. I was still there. I woke up one morning and groggily turned on my computer to check email and hit play in iTunes. And this song came on. And I started crying.
At the time, I was in the dumps about my friends not being around and soon leaving the beautiful nation that I’d come to call home. But the song was my encouragement to keep pressing on. I knew it would be tough, but as the same time, I knew I could eventually be able to get through it all.
Fast forward to today, this afternoon. Again, I find myself sitting at my computer. This time, I’m sending out job applications. I’ve been unemployed for months. Once again, I’m in the dumps. And I listen to “Pressing On.” A few tears rolled down my cheek. I know I’ll get through this bad time and on to something new and better. In the song, there’s a line that says, “Shake the dust off from your feet, don’t look back / Nothing can hold you down now, nothing you lack.”
I’ll keep pressing on. And when I’m past, I’ll shake the dust off of my feet and won’t look back.
