Dust in the Wind

This is my first post. So I guess I'd rather begin with an explanation of why this blog is titled 'Dust in the Wind'.

Well, it's because I find it a bit catchy, that's all. :-)

'Dust in the Wind' (1977) is a song by the band Kansas, with lyrics by the lead singer Kerry Livgren. He is said to have written them after reading a book of Native American poetry, of which one line that caught his attention was 'All we are is dust in the wind'. His previous hits had bought him success, but also taught him the true value of material things. Kerry was also a spiritual seeker and that line got him thinking about how he too would one day die just like everybody else.

It's a slow rock song to the accompaniment of acoustic guitar, with what may seem to be a haunting and melancholy tune. Awesome song, though. I find it a very philosophic rock classic - one of my all-time favorites. The version by the Scorpions is good too.

I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment's gone.
All my dreams, pass before my eyes, a curiosity.
Dust in the wind, all they are is dust in the wind.
Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea.
All we do, crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see.

Dust in the wind, All we are is dust in the wind.

Don't hang on, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky.
It slips away, all your money won't another minute buy.

Dust in the wind, All we are is dust in the wind.

Personally, I don't find the song depressing at all. It is honest and truthful. One of the funny things about us human beings is how we usually refuse to accept the reality of death. It is only by doing so that we can realise the true value of our all too brief human life. This is a fact that I try to remind myself of.

The song teaches us to be humble. We are mere specks of dust being blown about by the winds of time - here today, gone tommorow. Dust is what we are made of, and unto dust we shall return. And all that we do, like blogging, for instance :-), is like dust in the wind too. Let us not take ourselves too seriously!

Consider this - how unimaginably vast the universe is! Earth, Sun and the Solar sytem too are like mere specks of dust. Unlike what the song says, even the Earth & Sky won't last forever. Time consumes everything. As Ruskin Bond (well known as an author of children's books) said, "It's not time that's passing by my friend, it's you and I."

A perspective like this is not meant to devalue human life, but rather to celebrate it. It is so remarkable that we have the potential to live fully and be happy in the brief lifespan that we have. And people like you and me are the fortunate ones. Look around; if you truly have the eyes to see, you would feel anger at why so many people are unfortunate in life. Learn to value what you have and the life that has been given unto you by a higher intelligence.