from the LP Blind Faith, Polydor Records, 1969“How far we all come. How far we all come away from ourselves. You can never go home again.” ---James Agee, A Death in the Family My apologies in advance for the following trad emotional rubbish, which you likely had to endure last year as well, if my memory serves me right… something about visiting the town you grew up in mixing with the unavoidable reeling and looks-back that the end of another year plies from our drunk & stoned minds, it always gets me basking in the strange melancholic glow that this song (and the above quote) radiates. Every time I go back to Florida I am reminded of this seeming fact of life, though admittedly, trying to get back to that place of reckless abandon which characterized my youth is always fun, albeit tamped down considerably by the present reality of being a semi-responsible adult; to be honest, the older I get, the less firmly I believe in the absoluteness of the quote which begins this post, as every time I reconnect with an old friend it thoroughly floors me with positive & encouraging energy, reminding me that there are no rules, there’s no parameters. I’m not entirely sure which angle was Winwood’s intention when he penned these lyrics, but he surely must have realized the timeless strength of a metaphorical phrase like “can’t find my way home”. Much love to Kristen M, whose enduring free spirit was the highlight of my trip!!
