The Examined Life (2)

Me: “Right Sir, you’ve been asked to write some lyrics for an inspirational song, we’re half an hour in but there’s not much on your ideas sheet. In fact, unless your pen runs on lemon juice I’d say there’s nothing at all! Can I help?”

Him: “I dunno what to put.”

"Is there anything that inspires or excites or really interests you?"

"No."

“Well don’t worry. Think of ... think of somewhere you’ve been. Or somewhere you’d like to go, even if you've only seen a picture of it. Something you saw or did once that’s special to you."

.....

“Maybe something you want to achieve one day? Or something you think is only a dream but might just come true if you give it a push...”

“Uh?”

“Tell you what, think about this: behind you and me — sitting here, right now — are thousands and thousands of years of human history. You know, cavemen and Romans and Saxons and William the Conqueror and Henry’s six wives and two World Wars and the rest of it. And ahead of us are ... well we just don’t know because it hasn’t happened. But I’ll tell you this: all those great people and events are long gone. But here WE are: right on top of the wave of all that history, rolling in with the future ahead, and not Alfred the Great or Napoleon Bonaparte or Winston Churchill with a word to say about what happens next. But we’re lucky: we’re riding that wave, so maybe we can have a say ...”

....

“So think of something that means a lot to you. Anything!”

"Uh?"

"Anything you like! There are no right or wrong answers to this one!"

“Is it alright if I write a song about a computer game?”

“Er ........ yes ........ Yes, OK.”