The Monday Movement- “Walk On”
After some time off, “The Movement” returns to the scene with a John Hiatt classic, “Walk On.” This song speaks to people, it moves them. His lyrics seem to capture the emotions of the heart with pinpoint accuracy, while also leaving enough ambiguity for the listener to fill in the blanks. There are some powerful verses in this song, but for me (which is rare) the main focus shifts to the sound. This song elicits both a sadness and a resilience, at times simultaneously; there is a confusion that lingers, but also an intrigue that keeps you fully engaged. By the end you feel uplifted, ready to conquer what lies ahead!
While John is so eloquently describing the difficulty of “Walking On” or moving forward in life after it has thrown at us a seemingly impossible experience to get through, as a listener I am also encouraged and optimistic with this one. I believe it was Matt who mentioned in a previous post, that “it’s about keeping hope alive.” Mr. Hiatt does just that. This one is about determination and perseverance folks; a willingness to “walk on” through the pain and discomfort having the courage to stay the course….fully accepting just how hurtful of a time it may be.
You’re so afraid you might be losing love That this makes you worry And you wonder if she’s ever seen this Kind of fear in you . And you think of that young couple In the doorway And it makes you hurry You wonder what kind of fear They might be living through Yeah you wonder if They saw that fear in you
Fear is a common theme spoken of throughout this song. As we know, fear can be a powerful motivator. But which direction is our fear pushing us in? Are we afraid to face our fears? Are we afraid of the uncertainty the future holds for us? Are we afraid of success? Unfortunately fear has the potential to paralyze us if we allow it to. All of these fears we hold prohibit us from “walking on” and moving forward toward the next chapter of our life. Perhaps we may feel that it is more comfortable to live in the past; to remember the good times before shit hit the fan. And that is an entirely appropriate temporary worldview when we as humans are dealing with grief and loss.
However, where it becomes detrimental to us is when we decide to stay in the past. When we make the choice to remain here, we may not realize that we are not moving farther on in our journey. We don’t recognize our stunted growth in the moment, because living here (in the past) feels safe and secure to us. “If I stay here, then I don’t have to face conflict or confrontation.” We build up walls around our hearts for protection, but in the process we may sacrifice opportunities for more prosperity, happiness, new relationships, improved relationships, knowledge, and wisdom. These walls and elaborate defenses are quite simply put in place for our own survival; it is how we are designed. But if we never move out of this comfort zone, we have the potential to stay here forever, in our cozy cocoon, where nobody can hurt us.
Walk on, walk on Don’t look back Don’t ask questions Don’t you try to understand Walk on, walk on
Don’t stay trapped in the past by trying to understand and asking yourself the questions, “where did I go wrong?” “How did I fuck that up?” “Why does this always happen to me?” “What should I have done differently?” “I’m an idiot!” When we do this, we beat ourselves up over and over again, punishing ourselves for our failures and wrongdoings. While it’s important to learn from our mistakes (yes allow yourself to make them because you’re human), we also must move on and let things go; leave them in the past where they belong.
How can we expect ourselves to strive for anything new if we’re still hanging on to yesterday’s junk? Emphasize the positives in your life. Get excited about where you are going. Forgive yourself and acknowledge the good things you are accomplishing on a daily basis; write them down at the end of the day. Tape them up in your room or on the mirror as a reminder. Check back in with the goals you have set for yourself and think of how close you are to reaching them, not how far away you are from them. Where your focus goes, you will go (emotionally). Remember, it’s progress, not perfection; feel good as you move forward. Don’t look back any longer, and finally close that chapter you have been re-reading over and over. It’s time to “walk on,” time to move on.
