It is a commonly held truism that paramount among the things on which we can rely are the daily rising and setting of the sun. We can certainly count on this to happen each day, and those who don’t necessarily believe that it will happen are usually considered to be fatalistic or morbid. But to me, the verb "to rely" means a lot more than just to be sure that something will happen. "To rely" holds a connotation of trust and security. There is a way of understanding this word that excludes even the sun from fitting the definition of reliability. I rely on my friends and family. I rely on them for emotional support. I rely on them for encouragement. I rely on them for love. I rely on them for honesty. Even the stranger who spray-painted “don’t give up” on a wall in Amherst represents proof that human beings are reliable sources of affirmation. The sun is reliable for warmth, and life and light, but when it comes to certain human needs it is decidedly cold. I’ll take my fellow humans any day of the week.
This song is slow and lilting like a hangover. I’ve got no voice left for singing after three days of campfire sing-alongs that lasted way into the night. Very few Mount Everest tunes sound so accurately the way that I feel. It was well worth every wobbly note and missed falsetto.
Here's hoping your Monday doesn't totally suck.
~M.E.
lyrics
If the sun comes up tomorrow
Like a circular savior, then I’ll say
Here’s a chance to rely on something
Here’s the thing to count on every single day
But the sun ain’t the one who’s gonna say
Don’t give up
Don’t you give up
And I don’t need the sunshine
And I don’t need reminding any more
What’s better than burning plasma?
Human beings achieving fusion by the score
And when you need it they’ll tell you even more
Don’t give up
Don’t you give up
Don’t give up
Please don’t give up
Don’t give up
Don’t you give up