November 5, 2015

What's Your Relationship?


You're My Best Friend
Lyrics sung by Mercury, Queen

Ooh you make me live
Whatever this world can
give to me It's you
you're all I see
Ooo you make me live now honey
Ooo you make me live Ooh you're the best
friend that I ever had
I've been with you such
a long time You're my sunshine and
I want you to know
That my feelings are true
I really love you
Oh you're my best friend
Ooo you make me live
Ooh I've been wandering round
But I still come back to you
In rain or shine You've stood by me girl
I'm happy at home You're my best friend
Ooo you make me live
Whenever this world is cruel to me
I got you to help me forgive
Ooo you make me live now honey
Ooo you make me live
You're the first one
When things turn out bad
You know I'll never be lonely
You're my only one
And I love the things
I really love the things that you do
You're my best friend
Ooo you make me live I'm happy at home
You're my best friend
Oh you're my best friend
Ooo you make me live
You you're my best friend

While we often hear this song, we think of someone else rather than the artist-singer. However a bit of delving into Freddie Mercury's life reveals that late in his life, he was preoccupied with a concern for love-in-life, and the absence of the love-experience in his own life. 
His thoughts turned increasingly to spiritual matters. His lyrics explore the role of human love in those spiritual yearnings. He may have died young, but he was hopeful as his lyrics. Did he find the love he looked for?

However often we may think about others, when I heard this song
recently, I thought about the question of the relationship I have with myself. Yes, that One--me, myself and I. What
does that feel like, who is that, where am I in my life, can I forgive myself? 
Sometimes, I'm just stupid, sometimes I really screw up. True, I'm not perfect. But isn't good enough, good enough? Must we be more? Sure, the Bible tells us there is no sin too great for the forgiveness of God, but what about me--me forgiving me? If I let go and fall, will I land on my feet? Can I confront what I so dislike and still live with myself?
How do I get to there? It seems to me at least, that the love we reflect to others is the love we see for ourselves. So how is that relationship going these days? And so often we struggle with our self. It can be hard to understand why we are as we are, why we do as we do. 
The lyrics here give a clue; we can't go it alone. It seems we are social creatures; with the help or simple presence of others in our lives, they our friends can "help me to forgive." From the sense of these lyrics, I think Mercury must have found a real love. I wonder if he knew it.

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