One song I have really enjoyed lately is called “The End of Innocence” by Don Henley. It’s a really beautiful song. Here’s a little bit on Amazon.com. If you’d like a copy I can send you one.
What I think is so moving about the song are the words. They are sad, but when I used to listen to it, I never noticed. Maybe that’s what innocence really is sometimes, the illusion of serenity and calmness. When I was a child and even a young adult up until a few months ago, things were very rosy and very cheery. It wasn’t fake, it just wasn’t deep on my end. When I really began to see the depth of relationships, the truth behind the face of the lives of others, a lot of that cheeriness slid away.
When I listen to songs that sound so beautiful, I usually just relax and sing along. When I listen to even sad songs, I can sing right along and never listen to what I am saying. How often have all of us done that? We kiss our parents, we hug our grandparents, we laugh with our brother and sister, but what’s really going on? Plato said, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.” I think that’s the truth. There is depth to the shallows that we will never know. Your parents could be going through the hardest times of their lives and you wouldn’t know. I didn’t know. An even better question though, how many people want to know?
In the song by Don Henley, the singer explores the end of innocence. He seeks refuge, he sees reflection of his youth and he tries to find that place again. He sings, “Offer up your best defense, But this is the end, This is the end of the innocence.” I think I want to know. It happens all too fast some times, it hits us hard and we have to try to stay upright. We want to lay down, we want to give in, we want to return to ease. But I think I want something else more. I want to know the truth and I want to live openly with others. That means I’m not always happy, but it also means I’m not disillusioned. It means I cry, but it means someone else can cry too. It means an end of innocence, but it means a beginning of understanding. Maybe it means adulthood, but atleast it means I can still have innocence around me as I protect it for someone else.
What I think is so moving about the song are the words. They are sad, but when I used to listen to it, I never noticed. Maybe that’s what innocence really is sometimes, the illusion of serenity and calmness. When I was a child and even a young adult up until a few months ago, things were very rosy and very cheery. It wasn’t fake, it just wasn’t deep on my end. When I really began to see the depth of relationships, the truth behind the face of the lives of others, a lot of that cheeriness slid away.
When I listen to songs that sound so beautiful, I usually just relax and sing along. When I listen to even sad songs, I can sing right along and never listen to what I am saying. How often have all of us done that? We kiss our parents, we hug our grandparents, we laugh with our brother and sister, but what’s really going on? Plato said, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.” I think that’s the truth. There is depth to the shallows that we will never know. Your parents could be going through the hardest times of their lives and you wouldn’t know. I didn’t know. An even better question though, how many people want to know?
In the song by Don Henley, the singer explores the end of innocence. He seeks refuge, he sees reflection of his youth and he tries to find that place again. He sings, “Offer up your best defense, But this is the end, This is the end of the innocence.” I think I want to know. It happens all too fast some times, it hits us hard and we have to try to stay upright. We want to lay down, we want to give in, we want to return to ease. But I think I want something else more. I want to know the truth and I want to live openly with others. That means I’m not always happy, but it also means I’m not disillusioned. It means I cry, but it means someone else can cry too. It means an end of innocence, but it means a beginning of understanding. Maybe it means adulthood, but atleast it means I can still have innocence around me as I protect it for someone else.
Remember when the days were long
And rolled beneath a deep blue sky
Didn’t have a care in the world
With mommy and daddy standing by
When happily ever after fails
And we’ve been poisoned by these fairy tales
The lawyers dwell on small details
Since daddy had to fly
But I know a place where we can go
That’s still untouched by man
We’ll sit and watch the clouds roll by
And the tall grass waves in the wind
You can lay your head back on the ground
And let your hair fall all around me
Offer up your best defense
But this is the end
This is the end of the innocence
O’ beautiful, for spacious skies
But now those skies are threatening
They’re beating plowshares into swords
For this tired old man that we elected king
Armchair warriors often fail
And we’ve been poisoned by these fairy tales
The lawyers clean up all details
Since daddy had to lie
But I know a place where we can go
And was away this sin
We’ll sit and watch the clouds roll by
And the tall grass waves in the wind
Just lay your head back on the ground
And let your hair spill all around me
Offer up your best defense
But this is the end
This is the end of the innocence
Who knows how long this will last
Now we’ve come so far, so fast
But, somewhere back there in the dust
That same small town in each of us
I need to remember this
So baby give me just one kiss
And let me take a long last look
Before we say good bye
Just lay your head back on the ground
And let your hair fall all around me
Offer up your best defense
But this is the end
This is the end of the innocence
