70. Song No. 725: “Bad Bad World,” Guster
Easy Wonderful, 2010
…There is love
There is peace
In this world…
It is so hard to wrest some long-term optimism from the none-more-dark timeline that has played out in the decade since this song shined a beam of light from its humble domain. And maybe there are times that are so dire that comforting optimism has no claim to energy better spent on solutions and actions.
But I have a hard time thinking with my head when being guided by my heart feels so much more natural.
People need hope and warmth, and indulging in either gives fighting for a better future some meaning and a reason to keep trudging ahead. Jolts of compassion, reminders that better times await and recognizing the potential of a brighter world within reach are the oases of hope that provide emotional sanctuary and shield against the constant slings and arrows of a present that looks a little bleaker with every news cycle and constant evidence of all the work still to be done. It can be overwhelming, but hope can make it all seem a little less daunting and reveal all the potential for good both out there and within us.
And sometimes you just need an upbeat song with a message affirming the necessity of hope and a “Woo-hoo!”-filled chorus to remember that it isn’t always such a bad world.
