Frightened Rabbit (feat. Julien Baker)- How It Gets In

Frightened Rabbit (featuring Julien Baker)-How It Gets In

Because of a year and a half of construction next door to me, I haven’t really enjoyed taking my dog outside. A simple pleasure, I gradually shifted and changed to other places and odd hours because I would walk my Laney and cringe at the many curious eyes of workers next door. I missed kicking and throwing the deflated soccer ball with her and yelping spontaneous coos and praises over my sweet cocker spaniel when she would successfully fetch my throws.

As of the past week or so, the builder put up a privacy fence and finished almost all of the construction. Every day since, I have spent more and more time outside. It also helps there is a subtle change in the weather. Mornings are cooler and there is a lovely breeze to relieve the blazing sun in the afternoon. I feel freedom. I feel contentment, I feel like I am slowly getting my life back again, when I didn’t even realize I was missing it.

Until another shoe drops…

As the weeks of tragic news crash over us like rogue waves catching a swimmer off guard, we learn to jump up at any break in the waves and gasp for much needed air. Sadly, the pauses between waves, where we can take those life sustaining breaths, seem to be less and less. The surf comes crashing almost without any relief. One after another…relentless in their succession.

I am barely coping with it all because, I am only an observer. I am not actually involved in the hurricanes or earthquakes. Nonetheless, witnessing the catastrophic events are debilitating to my emotions and my heart. I am sad and worried about the outcome for each and every disaster and political mishap. My heart breaks for the difficulties ahead and the months of clean up in disaster zones, as well as the negotiating and diplomacy clean up that eventually must happen in order to prevent chaos, hate, and war.

After hearing about the tragic concert shooting in Las Vegas, I just shut down.

I learned all I could learn, then I turned off the news and took my sweet dog outside.

Her tail wagged, she bounded down our porch steps and took her predictable path around the yard, nose to the ground, and happy. As she discovered new fallen acorns, she would look at me and slyly pick them up in her teeth and crunch them. This is a new discovery for her and she welcomed their tasty surprise.

Dogs are so very simple. Their joy at your arrival is genuine and their patience is astounding. It takes very little to make them happy…a kind word, a loving touch, a meal, a playful toy, or a treat. They love unconditionally and never show anger,  if they are cared for properly.

As I watched Laney walk around the yard, I became a little jealous of her freedom and naiveté. Life is so clear cut for her. She has very little to worry her. Well, maybe she reacts to the garbage pick up, or the occasional handy man that enters the house with heavy work boots on. Even so, she is simply protecting those that take care of her. She doesn’t seem to know fear, real life threatening fear. According to her, the world is safe and cozy…especially when the sun guides it’s way through the kitchen window just so, or when she scares a chipmunk as she plunges at and barks through the kitchen window that overlooks their small underground hideaway.

Life is so simple. Why are humans so complicated? Why is love and friendship so hard?

It almost bursts my heart, when I think about how much I love my doggie. She provides such sweet support of me no matter what. Every human being should feel such love.

I am so deeply saddened by the actions of those that feel they are superior, smarter, louder, and angrier. I wish the voice and quiet actions of love were just as strong. Taking away something joyous by a hateful act can be prevented. Yes, it can.

In a recent article by Newsweek’s John Haltiwanger,

“Statistics show that since 1982, the majority of mass shootings — 54 percent — were committed by white men, according to data from Mother Jones. Black people were the second largest perpetrators of mass shootings based on ethnic background, but only accounted for roughly 16 percent of the total incidents during the same time period.”

He goes on to report,

 “In the U.S., 98 percent of mass shootings and 90 percent of all murders are committed by men.” 

We must all focus and take a look at why some men are so angry. Is it suppressed emotion? Is it narcissism? What is happening to our world? What can we do differently?

Yes, I will continue to financially support the hurricane rebuilding, the victims of the horrific shootings in Las Vegas, and whatever else comes our way.  But, I will not allow it to wear me down till I only see the bad in the world. It is time to take action against violence and re-focus on our children, teens, and young adults that are growing up with this horror as a normal way of life. It is time to pay attention to the young boys and how we can prevent future tragedies.

There is so much to find right, in this world. I want to focus on what is pure, honest, and lovely, all that is worth spotlighting and then share it. Honestly, it is the only thing I have any control over right now. We each can learn a great deal from a loyal pet, and others who seek out peace and light and love.

Won’t you join me?

The song, “How It Gets In” by Frightened Rabbit, (feat. Julien Baker), has a hauntingly beautiful quality. Despite the lyrics of  bloody wounds and lying helpless in a hospital bed, the bandaging and stitching can also symbolize healing, healthy fixes, and recovery.

With Julien Baker‘s soft tones and sadness, she perfectly compliments Scott Hutchison’s strong resonating vocals, the lead to the Scottish band, Frightened Rabbit. I have blogged and covered Julien Baker many times (HERE). She and Frightened Rabbit have a way of using subtle, nebulous lyrics that somehow knock you over and stun you with clarity at the end of the song. In  “How It Get’s In”, they follow this genius formula and accompany it by stripped down instrumentation. The song is intimate in it’s delivery because you can hear the actual finger movement across the guitar strings, simple but magnificent. The tune is from Frightened Rabbit‘s latest EP, Recorded Songs. With only three songs, you can listen, focus, and appreciate their purity and talent.

From the band,

“These three songs seemed to exist happily next to one another, so it made sense to place them on an EP instead of wedging them into an album on which they didn’t fit. These are not B-sides or ‘bonus tracks’. These are songs that still fill us with the same feelings that our albums can, and we’re happy that they now have a place to live.”

When I am confused, sad or hurting, my ears perk up to songs with a sorrowful sound. I find it comforting to know others experience what I feel on occasion and create beautiful art from it. It provides a bit of healing for me.

I believe only love offers healing, when life becomes painful or frustrating. We must seek out others who can comfort, give support, and recognize all which makes us human and special. We must also be that for each other.

Perhaps, only that, is the ‘way it gets in’.

Well, and lots of walks with my dog.

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