Six feet apart

Josh Medlock, Director of Student Ministries

I just did something I rarely do. I decided that today I would watch every music video recommended to me on social media by the people I am friends with, people I follow, and those who follow me.

At this point I think it is important to tell you that if you ever decide to do this make sure you have at least one bottle of Excedrin nearby for the headache you will get from staring at a screen.

Maybe schedule an appointment with a masseuse. Wait! You can’t do that yet. Go back to the bottle of Excedrin I just mentioned.

Eyes strained, head hurting, back needing a good stretch and my ears sore from the earbuds shoved in them, and yet, I found it. A song that spoke to me.

It was the type that under any other circumstances I would have breezed right by. A new country artist that I don’t know wrote a song called Six Feet Apart.

I will just say it, I don’t like listening to ‘new’ country music. I can appreciate it, but in my humble opinion, the country music of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s had something to say.

No offense to any recent CMA Award winners. But that is how I feel.

However, that being said, this song is … well, good. Not just good, but raw, real and very honest. This song has words of hope.

The artist is Luke Combs. Again, I don’t listen to new country music and I didn’t immediately recognize the name.

I had to go on Google and actually look up some of the other stuff he did just to get an idea of whether or not he is a big deal, which apparently he is. 

So why am I writing about a country music song? I found the lyrics to be a reflection of what a lot of people, including myself, are feeling right now. It starts out like this:

When the dogwoods start to bloom, And the crickets hum their tune
It’s usually about the time, ThatIfeel most alive
Butthe news has all been bad, Andthe world just seems so sad
I ain’t had much else going on, So, I sat down and wrote this song

The news that we get every evening on just about every news channel is full of people slamming one side or the other about their political views. It’s full of people telling each other that they are being lied to by whichever news outlet they subscribe to. The numbers are wrong, they are inflated. Those who don’t follow orders are doomed. Those who stand up should sit down. People everywhere seem to be losing their grip and tempers are flaring. It certainly makes it feel like everything everywhere is bad. Don’t worry the song isn’t all about what’s bad. The chorus goes like this:

I miss my mom, I miss my dad
I miss the road, I miss my band
Giving hugs and shaking hands
It’s a mystery, I suppose
Just how long this thing goes
There’ll be crowds and there’ll be shows
And there will be light after dark
Someday, when we aren’t six feet apart

I miss my mom and dad, too. I really miss giving hugs and shaking hands. Anyone who knows me knows that it’s killing me inside not to be able to shake hands and give hugs.

Luke goes on to sing:

It’s a mystery, I suppose
just how long this thing goes 

This is the part where I started really listening.

“That’s right!” I said to myself. “We don’t know how long this is going to last.” 

My favorite part is when he sings:

There will be light after dark someday,
when we aren’t six feet apart

There will be light. There is hope.

Luke then sings about all the things that he is going to do when this is over, like watch a game from the stands, catch a cab, take his family out, and start playing music again with his band.

He adds:

Probably over-wash my hands

Check. Me, too.

I watched another video with an interview from Elton John, and he was talking about how he has never seen anything like this in his whole life.

He talked about how some people who have seen world wars that are still alive, and how that was surely the most terrifying thing to go through.

He then started naming all the blessings because of coronavirus. He really focused on how much time he is getting to spend with his boys and how that NEVER happens because of his life on the road.

Blessings because of a pandemic. That is a hard statement to read or say and then try to back up. But Elton does a wonderful job of really focusing on the good that is coming from this.

I am amazed at how some people are able to see blessings regardless of how bad things get.

I am ever more amazed that some people can find inspiration to be creative and touch others through music, art and performance in all of this.

They speak of hope. They sing of light.

They show us that there is an end to all of this.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have about another 14 hours of videos to watch.

Where did I put the Excedrin?