"So another man takes the fall /
Just for doing all he could /
In light of what you dreamed up /
For your glory and another man’s good..."
We find ourselves living within the stark contrast. The new normal. The bottom of the pit after a long fall. We find ourselves at a time when all the dynamics we've known have shifted, and we begin to feel truly alone, whether in the vertical dimension, the horizontal dimension, or in both... It's that place of deep reckoning, where we begin to experience newfound empathy for those who've gone through it all before us. And it's the place where the seeds of newfound defiance are sown, where we cry out from the ragged edge as if to say,
"I'm still here, breathing."
"...So all my empathy / To Judas and the devil /
They were yours as much in light as in the dark..."
These feelings and experiences are especially typical at the holidays – when the rhythms of life quickly make clear to you that their patterns have been altered. And with so many traditions you've known having changed so radically, you find yourself reeling, struggling to catch up...
What does everything I have experienced mean?
Where is any of this even going?
What's the significance?
OUR SIXTH EPISODE DANCES WITH THE THEMES AND IDEAS OF 'CHASING EMPTY MANGERS' – THE SIXTH TRACK ON DEREK WEBB'S NEW ALBUM, 'FINGERS CROSSED.'
THE SONG ITSELF ALSO PROVIDES THE ENTIRE MUSICAL AND SONIC BACKDROP TO ANY PHONE CALLS AND CORRESPONDENCE WE ARE FEATURING THIS WEEK.
"...A toast to all my friends /
Who are lost and beat and bleeding /
Still chasing empty mangers out of faith."
ABOUT SEASON ONE:
Derek Webb has described his new album, Fingers Crossed, as 'a tale of two divorces.' Our first season of The Airing of Grief Podcast dives into the album track-by-track, with each song providing the themes and musical backdrop for an accompanying episode. Whether you're new to Derek's music or a longtime fan, the topics discussed and the stories of our guests should prove themselves to be a compelling journey for any listener. Wherever you might find yourself on issues of faith or spirituality, there is room at the table for all of these voices to be heard and celebrated. Raw, real, and authentic, The Airing of Grief strives to be a safe place to strip away the pretense and really listen to the heart.