Yesterday, as I made my way to work, I was bracing myself for the flurry of lovey-dovey activity that would no doubt present itself among my dating and soon-to-be and recently-married co-workers. I was expecting deliveries of flowers, loudly-shared plans of lunch-dates, etc. etc. blah blah blah. But actually, there was none of that. Instead, there was this:
You see, at work, we have 'secret stalkers'. In December, we all filled in a little questionnaire about ourselves. The questionnaires were all mixed up in a hat and we all picked out our targets. We're meant to do nice little things for our targets, like make screen savers for them or give them little gifts. So, my lovely stalker decided to shower my desk with fake rose petals! My stalker also gave me a massive card! It was a very nice surprise. Although… the card was a bit creepy, as it has to very large eyes on the inside as well as a tiny picture of the cast of Jersey Shore…
Anyway… Fearne Cotton, whose BBC Radio 1 show I listen to almost daily, has chosen a beautiful 'Record of the Week'. It's a song by 'Fleet Foxes' called 'Helplessness Blues'.
I love the opening lyrics:
'I was raised up believing
I was somehow unique
Like a snowflake distinct among snowflakes
Unique in each way you can see
And now after some thinking
I'd say I'd rather be
A functioning cog in some great machinery
Serving something beyond me
But I don't, I don't know what that will be
I'll get back to you someday soon you will see…'
Beautiful.
I think this is kind of an ideological struggle that we all have to some extent. How do we reconcile the idea that we are all different and special and unique with our need to be a part of something? From the time we are very young, our parents and teachers tell us that we are special, and that we can be whatever we want in life. We are encouraged to follow our dreams and pursue individuality, which has become one of the most important values of post-modern Western culture. We grow up using the word 'I' more than any other in our vocabulary. But certainly, there is 'something beyond me'.
You see, at work, we have 'secret stalkers'. In December, we all filled in a little questionnaire about ourselves. The questionnaires were all mixed up in a hat and we all picked out our targets. We're meant to do nice little things for our targets, like make screen savers for them or give them little gifts. So, my lovely stalker decided to shower my desk with fake rose petals! My stalker also gave me a massive card! It was a very nice surprise. Although… the card was a bit creepy, as it has to very large eyes on the inside as well as a tiny picture of the cast of Jersey Shore…
Anyway… Fearne Cotton, whose BBC Radio 1 show I listen to almost daily, has chosen a beautiful 'Record of the Week'. It's a song by 'Fleet Foxes' called 'Helplessness Blues'.
I love the opening lyrics:
'I was raised up believing
I was somehow unique
Like a snowflake distinct among snowflakes
Unique in each way you can see
And now after some thinking
I'd say I'd rather be
A functioning cog in some great machinery
Serving something beyond me
But I don't, I don't know what that will be
I'll get back to you someday soon you will see…'
Beautiful.
I think this is kind of an ideological struggle that we all have to some extent. How do we reconcile the idea that we are all different and special and unique with our need to be a part of something? From the time we are very young, our parents and teachers tell us that we are special, and that we can be whatever we want in life. We are encouraged to follow our dreams and pursue individuality, which has become one of the most important values of post-modern Western culture. We grow up using the word 'I' more than any other in our vocabulary. But certainly, there is 'something beyond me'.
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