Every Thing

Well I recall his parting words
Must I accept his fate
Or take myself far from this place
I thought I heard a black bell toll
A little bird did sing
Man has no choice
When he wants every thing

We'll rise above the scarlet tide
That trickles down through the mountain
And separates the widow from the bride

Man goes beyond his own decision
Gets caught up in the mechanism
Of swindlers who act like kings
And brokers who break everything
The dark of night was swiftly fading
Close to the dawn of day
Why would I want him just to lose him again

We'll rise above the scarlet tide
That trickles down through the mountain
And separates the widow from the bride

--Lyrics from the song, "The Scarlet Tide" from the movie “Cold Mountain”

"Man has no choice, when he wants every thing."  What profound wisdom is in this snippet of a song lyric. Every thing, not everything. It is a subtle difference with huge meaning. Everything is a more loving way of using those 10 letters. It calls for an all-encompassing positive embrace of the world. Everyone, everyday, everywhere, everybody, and everything are all words of inclusion. When you separate the every from the other word you create what I believe is a greedy combination. You long to possess the every, now. Make it yours or make more of them for yourself.

Don’t move to fast to get every thing. A new car (even if it helps the economy), a fancy home, a better grade, a better job, all these things are great, but beware of what may arrive in your soul along with them. A higher payment may arrive, and you will sacrifice simple pleasures for the mere possession of them. You can let someone into your life that is poison just so there is someone, anyone, beside you.

Personally, I could have worked longer hours and achieved more success and money, but now I know what I achieved was no less wonderful, as my heart is filled with memories of the great times that I had and the beautiful people that surround me. How many smiles, laughter and sunsets would I have missed?

Remember what Albert Einstein said, "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."

Alison Krauss will break your heart when she sings this song written by the incomparable Elvis Costello.

This is another great version, with Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, and David Rawlings performing.