That Is All
Navigating Life's Disillusionment: Revelations in 'That Is All'
Lyrics
All this talk of fire, of gumption and direction
All the discussion about passion, determination, and purpose
Leave you reaching for some kind of resurrection as to
Leaves you searching for a form of revival
Who you thought you were and who you thought you'd be
Reflecting on your identity and aspirations
They'll say it's the trying not the being, the journey not arrival
Emphasizing the importance of effort over the outcome
But all I'm seeing's discouraging reprisals
Despite this, only witnessing negative consequences
Of every mistake I've made and all the things I'll never be
Regretting past mistakes and unattainable aspirations
And every version of me I tried so hard not to miss
Each version of oneself is mourned, missed, and not forgotten
Gets stabbed and shot with the thought of someone else's kiss
Painfully aware of the impact of someone else's affection
There's just no easy way to say
Expressing the difficulty in conveying a harsh truth
That everything you thought was right was wrong today
Realizing that what seemed right before is now wrong
That is all, go away
Summing it up with resignation, urging to leave
So go on and sing another about the drinking and fights,
Encouraging others to sing about common themes like drinking and fights
Cracks in the sidewalk, the darkness of night
Highlighting mundane struggles and the darkness of life
Can you still believe it'll all put you closer to the light?
Questioning whether these experiences lead to enlightenment
'Cause yeah direction's just an arrow, not a place to reside
Stating that direction is just a guide, not a permanent dwelling
Though "home is where you find it" and "time is on your side"
Challenging clichés like "home is where you find it" and "time is on your side"
But none of that crap means squat alone on a Sunday night
Dismissing comforting notions when alone on a Sunday night
And every version of me I tried so hard to retain
Every attempt to preserve a version of oneself is futile
Gets swallowed and sweat out and pissed on down the drain
Metaphorically depicting the degradation of self-image
There's just no easy way to say
Acknowledging the difficulty in conveying a harsh truth (repeated)
That everything you thought was right was wrong today
Reiterating the realization of a shift from right to wrong
Move along, 'cause you can't stay
Concluding with the directive to move on, acknowledging impermanence
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