what we know

i had an english teacher in high school who, as we would be discussing some work of literature, would often say, "we bring to a work what we know." in that concise statement, she would remind us that it is our own life experience that allows us to engage and find meaning in really any work of art be it a novel, a poem, a painting, or a song.

last night, as i was soaking in a hot bath, this particular song came on. as i listened, my life experience with relationships both past and current seemed to infuse the song with a deeper meaning and a greater resonance for me.

sometimes i get caught up in whether the meaning a song has for me is the same as what the songwriter was attempting to convey. i've realized over time, particularly after reading and seeing interviews with various artists, that while the writer may have had a specific point of view in writing a song, once written, recorded and sent into the world, a song takes on a life of its own. it becomes free to be interpreted in as many different ways as there are listeners with different life experiences.

for this reason, at least for this particular song, i'm not going to share what it means to me. upon listening to it, i will let you make that interpretation both as to what my bathtub contemplation may have revealed and as to what it speaks to you.

we bring to a work what we know. i guess that's one of the things that makes life interesting.

something's always wrong - toad the wet sprocket