Voice of Reason

Voice of Reason

"Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)" by Don McLean

Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and grey
Look out on a summer's day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills
Sketch the trees and daffodils
Catch the breeze and the winter chills
In colours on the snowy linen land

Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now

Starry, starry night
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds and violet haze
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue
Colours changing hue
Morning fields of amber grain
Weathered faces lined in pain
Are soothed beneath the artists' loving hand

Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now

For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when no hope was left inside
On that starry, starry night
You took your life as lovers often do
But I could have told you Vincent
This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you

Like the strangers that you've met
The ragged men in ragged clothes
The silver thorn of bloody rose
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow

Now I think I know
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They're not listening still
Perhaps they never will...

Was singing along to Josh Groban's version of the Don McLean classic, Vincent, as I was driving home just now. Somehow, many things click as I reflect on my dismal performance trying to remember the elusive words written to the enchanting tune.

My rendition was fragmented because I never remembered the word. I know the tune but not the words. I never listened. Similarly, many people don't listen to things around them.

Vincent spoke with his paintings but his ideas were ahead of his times. No one listened to him.

Terrorists speak with their bombs but they forgot that a people without peace will not listen. Yet, the people speak with hatred and condemnation and so the terrorists won't listen either.

Parents plead with the wayward child but the child does not listen. The child speaks with rebellion and retaliation but the parents listen not either.

The examples go on and on and on.

Listening is a very difficult skill. Even though people say that speaking is tough, nothing beats listening. How many times have you fallen asleep listening to someone? How many times have your attention drifted off in the middle of a lecture? How many times have you interrupted your speaker because of what you've thought you've listened?

HOW OFTEN DO YOU HEAR BUT NOT LISTEN?