Song of the Week #21: ATB – Made of Glass
This song was first recommended to me by a distant friend and I think it's fitting for it to be the first song of the week for 2009. In a world experiencing economic recession, the focus has certainly shifted away from the environment and the lyrics are definitely about the fragility of the world in which we live. From ATB's 2007 album, Trilogy, the song of the week is "Made of Glass".
I picked this song because a lot of it ties into a lot of what I've learned and what I've been thinking lately. So, I've written these thoughts in the journal section to outline what the themes of 2009 will be for me (if everything goes well).
I'm warning you that it's a very long journal post and it's more for structuring my thoughts than something I typically write for readers. But I publish it anyway to be more open on here. 
Another change is that I'm posting the lyrics here now, so here they are:
A change is coming I can sense it now
The weight is lifting and I'm sinking down
Birds are flying in the trees below
The tears are coming, I just let it go
If I could, I'd hold this moment
If I could, I'd make it last
Sometimes life just seems to shatter
Like we're made of glass
Breath on the water, dust in the sand
Make this moment last
Breath on the water, dust in the sand
We're all made of glass
I feel the wonder in my flesh and bones
I feel the hunger, will you take me home
Birds are flying in the trees below
The tears are coming, I just let it go
Sometimes life just seems to shatter
Like we're made of glass
If I could, I'd hold this moment
If I could, I'd make it last
Breath on the water, dust in the sand
Make this moment last
Breath on the water, dust in the sand
We're all made of glass
Stress
This post is going to be extremely long but gives me an opportunity to write what 2009 might mean for me. Like I said, this post is more for structuring my thoughts and for future reflection a few months down the line to see if I'm headed in the right direction.
A TLDR (internet jargon for Too Long; Didn't Read) version is: Stress has terrible long-lasting effects on health and I've experienced this first hand over the last few years. My goal for 2009 is to reduce stress in not just myself but in others by seeing things differently from my earlier years and by truly appreciating the chance given to me to pick myself up after I've fallen so hard. Should I succeed in the long road ahead of me, perhaps my story will inspire others who also haven't been so fortunate.