The actor, Jeremy Rennar, has been in very diverse films. From the award winning, Hurt Locker, to my Grandson’s favorite Avengers as superhero Hawkeye, to the story of a serial killer from my wife’s hometown of Akron, Dahmer. But he is also a songwriter and singer. A recent song is called Signs, and in part says, “Oh sky, won’t you give me a sign. Tell me will the world ever be mine. I need something to believe in.” Signs.
A songwriter and singer from an earlier era, Neil Diamond, had a less known hit also called Signs that said, “Signs that burn like shooting stars …they reach out to us in their mystic language. Some are born who would defy them …others still who never read them.” Signs.
Our native American, First People, also spoke (and probably sang as well) about Signs. One of their core values was that you should “See Connections as All Things are Related.” To them this all started with nature and the world around them which could help you survive or could kill you if you did not read nature’s signs correctly or failed to understand and respect its power. Elders taught children to observe and especially to respect their world.
So to me, connections and signs seem like a very basic and critical concept to people’s survival and success, both in our ancient past and today. But merely acknowledging these the connections in your world is different from seeing them and using them.
The song by Jeremy Rennar seems to be hoping the world will clearly deliver a sign which rarely happens. In Neil Diamond’s song, it focuses on some people not reading or not needing the signs, which is a major loss. The First People, as often the case, seem to get it right. Nature and the world and even other people are constantly sending us signs. What we need to do, to be happy and successful, is to find the connections between all those diverse signals.
In both your personal and work life, it can be most beneficial to strive to become a master in the world of signs and connections.
Brad, thanks for another great post. It is especially relevant in our current times when people frequently don’t take the time they should to connect with the people or the world around them. Think about the people walking down the street with their eyes glued to a phone screen! I suppose this isn’t a totally new phenomenon. Recently, after taking an architectural tour of downtown Chicago I realized that I had been guilty of this in a way. I had spent thirty years working downtown but had barely noticed the details that make Chicago’s downtown buildings so noteworthy, like the statue of Ceres atop the CBOT building or the clock tower and skybridge on the Wrigley Building. Shame on me and good for you reminding us to slow down and pay attention to the “signs” around us.