@andyjoed

1 year ago

I think this song is less about Thom's wife, and more deeply about the human journey from birth to death. In the beginning, Thom comes into this world with other souls. Just as life is an endless series of choices, Thom maneuvers through various settings, some symbolic depictions of family life, others symbolic depictions of possibility (hallways), advancements to more mature ways of thinking (stairs) and the recognizing the reality of samsara (laundromat). Then there are experiences of transcendence where Thom has momentary glimpses into eternity, into a reality beyond this life, into self-realization. He looks out of the parking garage at the light outside and wants to know it. Eventually he becomes more frantic trying to find himself, walking through more and more doors, but ending up in the same places, feeling as if he's losing sight of his path. Eventually he goes through the dark night of the soul, the only real path towards self-realization, and instead of searching for the sun outside, he searches for it within. He walks through ice and snow, turns inward (enters a small cave) and finds shelter within himself as he collapses and finds peace by the fire of his own soul. His search ends. What he wanted was within himself the whole time. This is death, but not of body. This is death of ego, this is true understanding of self.

98 |