Everywhere

A "Body of Work," no. 15 - Resistance to Gratitude

Hi! Welcome to “A Body of Work.” It’s the occasional Tuesday space here on “Living in a Body” where I dig deep into Hal history and pull out a musical gem. Be sure to click the Soundcloud and YouTube links below to hear the song “Everywhere.” I hope you enjoy and please share this post with a friend. Thank you!

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Everywhere

Our assignment was to write a song about gratitude. There was an upcoming Sunday service on the topic and

Margot Milcetich

and I were in charge of coming up with the music. But I wasn’t feeling grateful. It was 2007, I was in a bad flair up of chronic illness and it was long before I had started any sort of daily gratitude practice. The more we tried to fake a song about being thankful, the more annoyed and uninterested I became.

We took a break from writing and I came back to the table with a thought. “I don’t wanna write a grateful song!” I said to Margot. “What if we’re honest. What if we just tell the truth about how resistant I am right now to this whole gratitude thing.” Within minutes, the lines started flowing and I sang the new found melody out loud with feeling, “I don’t wanna make a (gratitude) list and I don’t wanna read it over.”

With just two chords and within a couple hours, the song was done. To this day, I think it's one of the best songs I’ve ever written. I remember the joy and the power that I felt whenever I got to perform the beautiful melody of the chorus. The lyrics affirm the hope that a gratitude list might offer, but I remain unwilling:

At the time, Hallie was in her stop-action video phase. I’ve included her music video below. The audio that Hallie used was beautifully produced by my friend Tom Sailor who added harmonies and mandolin. The Soundcloud version is a solo performance with acoustic guitar.

Enjoy. Find the complete lyrics below.

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Everywhere

People always say
I admit that I never really tried it
Make a list of all the things you’re grateful for

People say make a list
Write it down and read it over
Let the words on the paper keep growin’ more and more.

But I don’t wanna make a list
And I don’t wanna read it over
I don’t wanna listen to the voice that’s knockin’ on my door

Saying with a clear mind and a courageous heart
I could have roses on my window
Within no time, I could have a brand new start
and I’d see those roses everywhere.
Everywhere I look.

People always say
Forget about your old complaining
Forget about thinkin’ there’s something missing here

People say give thanks
Put the pen on the lines of the paper
Let the words of the fountain flow like falling tears

But I don’t wanna change
I don’t wanna let go of my story
I don’t wanna lose this familiar fear, even though

with a clear mind and a courageous heart
I could have roses on my window
Within no time, I could have a brand new start
and I’d see those roses everywhere.
Everywhere I look.

People always say
I admit that I never really tried it
Make a list of all the things that  you’re thankful for

People say make a list
The beginning of a grateful story
It’s the opening act of loving more and more

But I don’t want to write it down
I don’t know if I’m really quite ready
What if I lose the who I am right now

I don’t wanna make a list
I don’t wanna just cause I don’t wanna make one
Even though the whole world is telling me how, saying

with a clear mind and a courageous heart
I could have roses on my window
Within no time, I could have a brand new start
and I’d see those roses everywhere.
Everywhere I look.