Rethinking Coldplay

I finally picked up a copy of the new Coldplay CD, Viva La Vida. I've always enjoyed the way Coldplay starts a song slow and mellow and then allows it to rise to a powerful and emotional crescendo. I tend to find one or two songs on an album that really speak to me and listen to them over and over again. The lyrics to the song Viva La Vida have been drawing my attention lately. It's a good idea to pay attention to the things you pay attention to. The lyrics are below...

I used to rule the world Seas would rise when I gave the word Now in the morning I sleep alone Sweep the streets I used to own I used to roll the dice Feel the fear in my enemies eyes Listen as the crowd would sing: "Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"

When things are going well in our lives, we feel like we are on top of the world. We feel invincible. But, when adversity rears its ugly head, we suddenly feel helpless. The earth quakes beneath our feet.

One minute I held the key Next the walls were closed on me And I discovered that my castles stand Upon pillars of salt, and pillars of sand

"My castles stand upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand." Adversity makes us look beneath our "castles" to see what under girds them. What are the castles in your life? Your career? Your looks? What are the things that define who you are? Are they what is most true about you?

I'll write more about this song later...it's getting late.