I Am Icarus Falling Out Of The Sky

How many times have you flown?
How many times have you wished for wings?
How many times have you fallen?

The story of Icarus has fascinated me for years. The need for freedom. It’s the “get away” (from some of life’s harshest realities or whatever you need an escape from). It’s the ability to live in the moment. It’s learning the hard way…even when it’s too late.

But in the story of Icarus, (if by chance you are unfamiliar, here's the “Cliff Notes”) it’s about... well, for me, it’s about WANTING - wanting to escape, wanting to be free, wanting that which seems elusive at best - and wanting it so badly that nothing else matters – and this can be about the “wanting” of anything - you actually yearn for it. You yearn for those things you feel are missing from your life - until you find them - because once you find them - then there's no longer a need. Until then, the warnings don’t matter; those who care about you don’t matter. Well, they do, but not at the moment you take [your hypothetical] flight.

It’s selfish. You’re selfish. I'm selfish. But we're flying. How can this be and how can anything else matter? And from this, Adam Duritz created Insignificant. He said, *“It’s about jumping off a building and seeing it as flight, a retreat from life. But it’s still sort of beautiful. [The character in the song] doesn’t want to be insignificant, and mean nothing.”

Who would?

Listen to Insignificant. Of all the things you can feel... happy, sad, jealous, empowered, bitter, strong, proud, elated, surreal, etc… but to feel insignificant must be the worst of all. (As if Counting Crows or Duritz himself could ever be insignificant. He’s one in a million. We all are. And that’s a good thing.)

I’ve often said if I could spend 24 hours in someone else’s mind, it would be that of Bill Gate. I find Duritz to be a very close second.

Can you see me?
I’m one in a million
I am Icarus falling
Out of the sun

(Counting Crows/Insignificant/Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings)

*Quote excerpt courtesy of bonus Track by Track Interview with Adam Duritz downloaded from iTunes. I ordered the deluxe edition. Didn't everyone?)