I was struck by Neil Young’s performance at the Olympic closing ceremony last night. This mega-international-worldwide event, a massive stadium full of people, four criss-crossed obelisks with flames coming out of them as the Olympic torch, and this one guy--an old guy--with a beat up guitar and a harmonica, a creaky voice a song that truly said something, “Long My You Run”. I’m sure he didn’t have the Olympics in mind when he wrote it, but it is great because it has endured. It has taken on various meanings throughout the course of its life, and at the Closing Ceremonies, it cut through all the hype, clatter and clutter and went straight to the heart: the bobsledder who passed away, the athletes who won, the athletes who did not win, the history of the games, the future games in Sochi, the encouraging words to keep going in whatever it is that we are pursuing. To keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Here are the lyrics.
Whatever it was about, it's a metaphor that speaks to enduring well. It was one of my favorite parts of the closing ceremonies and I sent a text dedicating it to a marathoning friend who inspires me with her diligence. Feeling warm, sometimes fuzzy, life-affirming feelings.
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