"RISE UP LIKE THE SUN AND LABOR 'TIL THE WORK IS DONE"
Finally decided on my personal anthem for this internship. I've all but forgotten about this song until my iTunes played it while on shuffle. It's called BE STILL by The Killers and it's now the #1 song on my official internship playlist. The rest of the songs aren't on order but this song trumps all the others. Check it out below:
Finally decided on my personal anthem for this internship. I've all but forgotten about this song until my iTunes played it while on shuffle. It's called BE STILL by The Killers and it's now the #1 song on my official internship playlist. The rest of the songs aren't on order but this song trumps all the others. Check it out below:
LYRICS
| (1) Be still And go on to bed Nobody knows what lies ahead And life is short To say the least We're in the belly of the beast Be still Wild and young Long may your innocence reign Like shells on the shore And may your limits be unknown And may your efforts be your own If you ever feel you can't take it anymore Don't break character You've got a lot of heart Is this real or just a dream? Rise up like the sun Labor till the work is done | (2) Be still One day you'll leave Fearlessness on your sleeve When you've come back, tell me what did you see What did you see Was there something out there for me? Be still Close your eyes Soon enough you'll be on your own Steady and straight And if they drag you through the mud It doesn't change what's in your blood (Over chains) When they knock you down Don't break character You've got a lot of heart Is this real or just a dream? Be still | (3) Over rock and chain Over sunset plain Over trap and snare When you're in too deep In your wildest dream In your made up scheme When they knock you down When they knock you down Don't break character You've got sooooo much heart Is this real or just a dream? Oh Rise up like the sun And labor till the work is done Rise up like the sun Labor till the work is Rise up like the sun And labor till the work is done |
Hearing that song gave me an unexpected boost of motivation and energy to do what I have to do and to rise up to the challenge.
I don't know why but the song just speaks to me. They're the perfect words of comfort whenever I feel loaded down with everything. Every line, every stanza stood out to me...
I don't know why but the song just speaks to me. They're the perfect words of comfort whenever I feel loaded down with everything. Every line, every stanza stood out to me...
If you ever feel you can't take it anymore...
When they knock you down...
Don't break character
One of my realizations as I started this internship was that this adventure is one giant test of character. From the very beginning, I understood that this would either make or break me, not just my future career, but possibly how I regard myself. So many variables ride on the expectations set before me and it's kind of daunting to try to meet those expectations. These past 7 weeks were hard enough, what more in my next affiliation centers? There were times when I feel like I'm not measuring up to what's expected and it's kind of frustrating to think about how I may never be good enough. It's a real test of will, strength, courage... character... to keep at it no matter how many times I fail or stumble or feel lost.
Soon enough you'll be on your own
Steady and straight
And if they drag you through the mud
It doesn't change what's in your blood
The song was also a bit of a wake up call. We won't be supervised throughout our practice. Right now, our supervisors are there to guide us so that when we graduate, we're ready to take the professional world by storm. Mistakes are inevitable. At one point (or several points, for that matter) or another, we'd find ourselves in a whole stockpile of shit. I guess, what the song reminds me is that I shouldn't let those instances get the better of me. Instead, I should be true to myself and be confident in that fact that I'm ready to face these challenges. I got through my first three years in UP for a reason. I will not let my failures define me. I won't.
Rise up like the sun
And labor till the work is done
The most important part is getting back up. Failures serve only one purpose: TO BUILD US UP INTO BETTER VERSIONS OF OURSELVES. Falling down is one thing but it doesn't end with scraped knees and bruised egos. Glory is found in the way we pick ourselves up and run faster than we've ever run before... to rise above and beyond where we stumbled and fell. And we keep running, never stopping (well, aside from those essential water breaks and breathers, that is... but nope, NEVER stopping) until we cross the finish line.
And yes, I also cringed at the cliched metaphors.
And yes, I also cringed at the cliched metaphors.
