The End

A few years ago, someone dear to my heart said to me that he loved all of the songs on Pearl Jam’s Backspacer album, except for “The End”. At the time, I laughed and said that I couldn’t ever think of it without thinking of The Doors’ song of the same name, so it blurred for me. What it boiled down to was that he and I would listen to the album save for that one song.

Fast-forward to present day.

Recently, I started listening to all of my Pearl Jam songs on shuffle play, in order to force myself to pay attention to and really hear those songs that weren’t known to me as “my favorites”. In all fairness, this equates to roughly 14 albums, 165 songs, and 11 hours of music. Just Pearl Jam. So yeah, don’t have all of them memorized. Many, but not all. Perhaps if Pearl Jam was to “come back” to Montana… *et hem* and play a few shows…?

Anyway…

Shuffling my Pearl Jam songs reacquainted me with “The End”, and I found myself playing it on loop for a while, wondering why I’d initially let it go. It’s a really good song. Poignant.
Sharp. Painful. Cuts through some serious bullshit and reaches right in and stabs swords through your heart… Yeah, a good song. And after experiencing the unanticipated collapse of my own marriage, I can certainly see why one would instinctively shy away from it as it certainly targets all those excruciating emotions one goes through pre-, during, and post-divorce, especially if one is actually going through that (any kind of) breakup.

What were all those dreams we shared
Those many years ago?
What were all those plans we made
Now left beside the road?
Behind us in the road

More than friends I always pledged
Cause friends they come and go
People change as does everything
I wanted to grow old
Just want to grow old

Yeah… I can see why my friend – who was in the middle of a divorce at the time (I wasn’t) – would say he skips that song at the time.

Don’t leave me so cold
Or buried beneath the stones
I just want to hold on
And know I’m worth your love
Enough
I don’t think
There’s such a thing

It is hard to listen to; add to it the raw ache in Eddie Vedder’s wonderful voice? Intense. Very intense.

Yet Endings bring about New Beginnings.

Myself, I’ve been spending this last year since my divorce – my own “The End” – looking within and discovering how to mend what was broken, discard what can’t be repaired, and figure out just exactly what I want for the betterment of myself, my children, and my world as a whole.

Basically, I’ve been doing this:

Working hard to clear through the clutter and devastation that’s left post-breakup, cutting through sorrow and heartache, bad habits and doubt, to leave that all emotional baggage behind and move into smoother, clearer water towards rebirth of Self and a new life.

The definitive End of one aspect of Life brings Transformation and Forced Change leading to Rebirth and a stronger sense of Independent Self. With the Goal of wonderful New Beginnings leading to Self Victory.

Causing you to create plans and use the Good Energy of Self to call forth healthy new relationships with a mutually strong emotional and physical base (to each their own; replace my Queen of Wands and King of Cups with your own pick out of the Court Cards here, lol).

Being brave and taking risks; Opening your heart to the Stars to Guide you to choose mutual and reciprocal healthy relationships with others, and being selective in the Good Way to welcome in the True Love – who may not be perfect but who is perfect for you – into your Life, your home, your Universe.

Because as Human Beings (for the most part), we are naturally social creatures who crave Connection. Yet in order to be that Powerfully Connected Pairing, even Soul Mates need Honesty and a 2-flow loop Communication in order to be strong and thrive, to live in their ideal Happily Ever After, with True Sharing and True Caring… Even if the Truth hurts sometimes (hey, the Sun gives life, yet it also burns, right, “Nothingman”?)

After my “The End”, this is the Journey I’m undertaking. This is what Matters to me and what I’ve learned you actually can take with you. Certainly looks much easier in the picture. ? But it isn’t a race and I keep my Eye on my idea of the Prize.

Many of you may have different ideas on how you want to reach your proverbial Gold Ring ? after you’ve reached The End and have recovered enough to face transforming what’s ended into a new beginning for yourself. However, that’s likely based on how you wired your soul before being born on this particular planet – which is a discussion for another time, another post. Maybe if I feel like it. ?

…22/26, 22/26, 22/26…