Seeds of Gold

Genre: Progressive Rock
Artist: Neal Morse
Album: Testimony 2 (Bonus Disc)
 
I know I won't be able to do this song justice in this post, and I apologize for that right away. I'm not even going to try to describe how incredible the instruments are in this song, especially the guitar solo performed by Steve Morse towards the end. What I hope to do is somehow capture the meaning this song has for me.
 
Like many of Neal's epic songs that I love, this song depicts a journey. It begins in "the fields of gray and far from home." The fields of gray can represent so many things. For me, it represents any place that is away from God, or any activity or lifestyle that doesn't include Him. Neal describes it as a danger zone, but encourages us to "Look away to a place where this war is worlds away." I imagine that place as heaven, where God is. Neal continues, "Where it's all about you, and it's not about me. In a place where you'll always want to stay." A little later, he exclaims, "There's a place for me in the city of light, if I'm found there." If I want to go to the city of light, to God's presence, there is a place for me. I need only decide to go there.
 
But then we hit part of the song where I often find myself; I try to make it on my own and find fulfillment in things that can't last. Neal describes this fruitless chase with the following words: "It's all just a show," "Grind down the wheel 'til you can't feel it no more," "Run 'til you drop." But at the conclusion of all this, a voice still calls to us, "I'll still love you more." No matter how much I try to find something fulfulling in this world, God still loves me more than anything else can.
 
The next part of the journey is this sudden realization that the things the world has to offer are empty. "This is the day all your life you've looked forward to...but now that it's here, it's the great disappointment." When we realize that the world has nothing of substance to offer, we may find ourselves feeling destitute. I know I have experienced that. But again comes the voice from the distance that calls to me, inviting me. "There's a homecoming beyond the danger zone, where you never feel alone and tomorrow feels like home! Yes, there's a homecoming when you'll admit you're wrong, when you're tired and you've lived too long. Come on home, where you belong."
 
Those lines are so beautifully sung! As soon as I admit that I am wrong and turn back to the true Source of life, I immediately find a homecoming. I love the line "when you're tired and you've lived too long." I've certainly felt that way before. But it doesn't mean that I have been on the earth too long. To me, it really means that I've lived away from God too long. That is why I need to come home.
 
And thus concludes the journey! Perhaps we are still in the fields of gray, but through the redemption of the Savior, we are able to sow the seeds of gold. My chains break free, and the seeds of gold transform my world, until I truly can "look away to a place where [I] know [I'll] be ok." Suddenly, I'm not tired of living. "I have my whole life in front of me." This song is a reminder for me to seek satisfaction and fulfillment from that which is everlasting. I honestly cannot write my feelings adequately about what this song means to me, but hopefully you can follow me to a small degree along the journey where this song takes me.

Dreams We Conceive

Genre: Rock

Artist: Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Album: Night Castle

I did a song from this album only two songs ago (although that was nearly a year ago now). There are other songs from this album I would love to do as well. This song isn't so much the lyrics that touch me as it is the emotion behind them. But I will still try to do it justice.

In this song, a soldier is telling his captor about how he met his wife, how they spent only one night together before he was deployed, and how he got a call two months later telling him he was going to be a father. He had dreams of spending time with his child. He would play catch. He would tell stories. He would be a happy family man. But now, as he lies sick inside his captor's tent, he realizes with anguish that none of these dreams will come true.

His dreams were beautiful! The stars would star at them in wonder. But the night faded away, along with all of his dreams. The man "never believed that the dreams we conceive would ever not ever come true!" He feels left behind and forgotten. He describes a train driving in the night and everybody is on it except him. He wonders, will that train return for a single life--for him? Does he matter enough that the train will return for him, or will he and his dreams be forgotten?

Like the man in this song, I too have dreams. They are beautiful dreams. They are dreams to treasure and love. But I have recently come to the sad realization that many of the dreams I have conceived will never come true. Some dreams will come true, and those are the dreams that really matter. But other dreams will have to be sacrificed for things that are more important to them.

In the live action Peter Pan movie that was released in 2003, Mrs. Darling tells her children that their father is a very brave man. She explains that he has a drawer in which he keeps his dreams. Sometimes he opens the drawer and admires the beautiful dreams. But he always closes the drawer again. She explains that each time the drawer is harder and harder to close, but still he does it. And that makes him a brave person. As much as I want to live my dreams, I have already committed to be like Mr. Darling. Although it is hard, I will always close that drawer and keep my priorities in order.

Set the Kingdom

Genre: Progressive Rock
Artist: Neal Morse
Album: Lifeline [Bonus Disc]

I love this song because it causes the listener to evaluate what matters the most. The first words of the song immediately call for reflection: "What have I set before me?" What a profound question! "Are my eyes on the desert or are they up where all things arise?" "We become what we're beholding. What's the food our souls find to feed?" What am I putting into my life? What is my focus? What is my goal? Sometimes I lose track of what really matters. But this song reminds me of what I need to do.

"Set the Kingdom before your eyes!" I need to place the Gospel before me and make it my top priority. Everything else shifts and changes, but the Gospel remains firm. Ever since I was a little boy I loved the Gospel more than anything else. At twelve, I received a blessing where I was told that I had already dedicated my life to the Savior. As I look at myself now, I feel that I have lost track of that. I sometimes seem to be living from one day to the next, with no real goal in mind. I need to look above everything else and see through eternity's perspective again. I need to see that there is so much more than what is before me.

I am grateful for times of reflection and self-evaluation. I am grateful for the Atonement, which lets me repent and improve. If I ever seem to lose track of where I am going, I need to ask myself, "What have I set before me?" If it is not God's Kingdom, then I need to make changes in my life. I must set the Kingdom before my eyes, and trust the promise in the scriptures that everything else will be added to me.

There Was a Life

Genre: Rock

Artist: Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Album: Night Castle

This song has become an instant favorite. It is a song full of reflection, searching for the meaning of life. As the man looks back on a life of mistakes and failures, he wonders if redemption is possible. As the man is overwhelmed with his failure and sins, he stands at the edge of a cliff and debates committing suicide. He asks himself, "Are you scared of your life? Are you scared of your death?" He decides, "There are reasons to live, there are reasons to die." But the anguish and indecision rage inside him. I love the feeling behind the voice and the lyrics during this crucial moment. He wonders if the mistakes of his life must always remain the way they are, or if they can be made right. So much of what he has done cannot be repaired. "And in this darkness is there salvation? Is there forgiveness?"

Like the person in this song, I have faced such crucial moments where I could not see from a more eternal perspective, where I have also cried out, "Can someone say when the Writer of this story will just tell us how it will end?" The singer compares his life to a drop of water in a wave. He realizes that the wave cradles each drop, and each one is missed. Sometimes I have felt lost, or forgotten. But God cradles me along with everyone else, and if I stray I too am missed.

There is so much hope for tomorrow! Each evening when we sleep, we have a chance to wake up a new person. It is God's way of erasing our sorrows. "There are parts of yourself the soul decides to keep, and parts of yourself that the soul does release." Each day is an opportunity for redemption, an opportunity to repent and be a better person. There is never a time that is appropriate to give up. "The end's not the end while you're still alive."

The emotion and message of this song are incredible! I have listened to it so many times during this week (I just heard it for the first time on Tuesday). I can relate to the person in the song. I love the hope it offers! I wish I could do it justice on this blog, but I cannot. All I can say is that its beauty astounds me.

The Whirlwind

Genre: Progressive Rock

Artist: Transatlantic

Album: The Whirlwind

Wait. Am I reviewing an album, or a song? The answer is BOTH! The Whirlwind is a nearly 78-minute long epic! It is divided into twelve individually named parts (tracks), but it is meant to be listened to as one great song. After a long seven years, the musical genius of Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Roine Stolt, and Pete Trewavas come together to produce another brilliant masterpiece!

The Whirlwind can be interpreted on so many levels, but the heart of the message is that the whirlwind represents life's trials. We might think everything is going great, but suddenly life's storms come upon us and beat us down. We might think we are happy and successful, only to be torn down. Although the storm may seem merciless, there is a power at the center of it that is actually quite calm. In the eye of the storm lies the Savior. If you trust in Him, rather than being tossed by the storm, you will see how it can bring you closer to Him. You can dance with eternal glory, rather than be drowned by life's sorrows.

The CD is masterfully put together, with each of the four artists contributing so much material to make it perfect. One of my personal favorite parts is the segment titled Rose-Colored Glasses, which Neal wrote about his dad, who died earlier this year. In this segment, he talks about how there are times of suffering, but these times will pass and we will be reunited with those we love. He says that his faith is more than just rose-colored glasses; he trusts in something he believes to be real. It is by trusting that Source of faith, hope, and power that we can overcome life's trials.

I cannot even begin to describe the musical genius of the album. A blog post would be insufficient. There are several themes that connect the parts into one great whole--themes that represent the actual whirlwind, the calmness of the eye of the storm, the presence of the Savior, etc. And these are only the themes. There are also the amazing solos, the powerful harmony of the instruments coming together, and the subtle movements that lead from one part to the next. Then there are the vocals! Everybody sings and the parts they sing fit perfectly! All in all, this is a masterpiece never to be forgotten! Thank you, Transatlantic! I hope there is more in the future!

I Will Go Sailing No More

Genre: Disney

Artist: Randy Newman

Album: Toy Story

Poor Buzz Lightyear... A lot of the comedy in the movie revolves around Buzz's vision of who he is. He sees himself as a hero with a special mission to save the universe. Woody screams at him, yelling the truth into his face, but Buzz is not deterred. It is not until he sees a commercial, reality slapping him harshly across the face, that he begins to realize that his ambitions are nothing. Still unable to face reality, he jumps from the top of the stairs to prove he can fly, only to find himself crashing to the floor. His broken arm is but a symbol of his broken heart and broken dreams, as he consigns himself to a life he views as meaningless.

I also have high ambitions for my life. With my dreams, I almost feel like I can fly, until my dreams are shot down. Sometimes people don't believe in me. Other times people let me down. Oftentimes, like Buzz, I feel that I have a "dream that ended too soon." When reality slaps me across the face, I think to myself that "I will go sailing no more. All the things I thought I'd be, all the brave things I'd done, vanished like a snowflake with the rising of the sun. Never more to sail my ship where no man has gone before...and I will go sailing no more."

But even though my dreams are sometimes crushed and I am left empty and broken, I still rise from the ground, determined to prove that I really can fly. I just can't seem to accept that "clearly I will go sailing no more." Fortunately, Buzz eventually pulled himself together. Defying all odds, he eventually flew, soaring in the sky where he belonged, but with a new realization that the place he really belongs is where he is loved.

Wherever You Are

Genre: Disney
Artist: No clue.
Album: Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search For Christopher Robin

This song is so sad to me, but it's still one of my favorites. Winnie the Pooh and his friends have been searching long and hard for Christopher Robin with no success. One night, Pooh wanders away from his friends to the empty, cold night sky. There, all alone, he sings, "Come out, moon. Come out, wishing star . . . I'm out here in the dark, all alone and wide awake. Come and find me." He sings to Christopher Robin, pleading for him to come to him, "because without you I am totally lost." He finally comes to the sad conclusion, "I used to believe in forever, but forever's too good to be true."

This very sad song touches me every time I hear it. I can relate to Pooh's loneliness. I have gone through many times in my life when I have felt alone. The worst is when I feel alone, even though I am surrounded by people. It especially reminds me of the times when I had something beautiful, something I thought would last forever. I think of those times when I have felt the most happy and content . . . that feeling that I have finally found what I have searched for all my life. But, as Pooh says, "Forever's too good to be true." Those moments always end. And when they are ended, the loneliness returns, the loneliness that is only too real for the Wishmaster.

Music of the Night

Genre: Broadway Musical

Artist: Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics by Charles Hart

Album: Phantom of the Opera

I can't believe I haven't done a song from Phantom yet. It was hard to pick which song to do. But I ultimately chose Music of the Night because it is one of my absolute favorites. It is the song where the Phantom beckons Christine to join him, to sing for him, to believe him. It is essentially a marriage proposal. Throughout the song he shows her around his lair, extending his hand out towards her and she takes it. Not the hand of a monster, but the hand of someone who loves her with a very tender love.

I saw Phantom on stage on my fifteenth birthday. I fell in love with it. Everybody who knows me will say that I fell in love with it too much. I must admit, perhaps they are right. But never before has a play delved so deeply inside me and stirred my emotions so passionately. I think the main reason it struck me so deeply was because of the time of my life, a time of change and when I felt misunderstood by everyone around me. I could understand the Phantom's yearnings to belong, to be accepted. I could understand his fear of cruel treatment from others. Although I cannot agree with all of his actions, I can understand the emotions behind them, emotions which he let control him. I ached with him and shared his loneliness. The imperfections I have that people were so quick to point out to me at that time I felt were as ugly as the face behind the Phantom's mask. Was I obsessed? Yes. But at that time of my life, Phantom was what I could relate to more than anything else.

There were many good things that came from it, though. For one, it got me into acting. For another, it also gave me confidence in my writing. I asked Eldon, one of my most favorite teachers, if we could perform Phantom at the school. The royalties were too high, so I asked him if I could write my own version. He helped me and encouraged me and I ended up writing a script for the show. Eldon praised it. Reading it now, it is awful. I am almost embarrassed that I ever let anybody else see it, let alone perform it. But Eldon gave me that boost I needed. He helped me have confidence in myself and my abilities. Performing Phantom was one of my biggest highlights from high school.

Edelweiss

Genre: Broadway Musical

Artist: Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein

Album: Sound of Music

This song is a very special song on so many levels. For one thing, it was the last song that Rodgers and Hammerstein composed together. While they wrote this song, Oscar Hammerstein was suffering from stomach cancer. He died nine months later. This song is a memorial to him. Indeed, in more ways than one, it is a song to say farewell.

I love the connotation that this song has. Captain von Trapp is about to leave Austria, a country that he deeply loves. He sings this song as a last farewell to his country. I love the scene in the movie where he begins to cry and can't finish the song. His country means that much to him. He knows it is time to say goodbye to a wonderful era, but it is so hard to make that change.

Even though the lyrics don't really mean much to me, the emotion of the song really touches me. I have also experienced such moments of having to leave an era that was so beautiful to me that I could hardly bear leaving. Many experiences on my mission fit this experience. Whenever I had to leave certain areas or certain friends, it was really hard knowing that things would never be the same again. The best thing that can be done to honor those eras is to remember them.

Is Anybody There?

Genre: Broadway Musical

Artist: Sherman Edwards

Album: 1776

This song is the culmination of John Adams's struggle as he fights for American independence. Throughout the play he is constantly arguing with Congress and meets obstacles almost at every turn. The final obstacle is the South, who refuses to vote in favor of independence unless they are permitted to continue the slave trade. When the South walks out of the room, Adams feels alone and helpless. In desperation, he sings, "Is anybody there? Does anybody care? Does anybody see what I see?" Then he tells what he sees: a vision for America!

"Through all the gloom I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory!" He describes the glory of the scene and then concludes, "I see Americans, all Americans free!" He then ends asking again, "Does anybody see what I see?"

Fortunately, others did see what he saw. American independence was won. I am so grateful to live in a country where I am free, where I can worship as I please, where I can say what I want, and where I have the potential to be anything I desire to be. I am so grateful to live in a country where the Gospel could be restored. I am grateful for the men and women who still see what John Adams saw. I refer to those men and women both home and abroad who protect our freedom. May John Adams's vision never fade from our eyes!

The Sixth Extinction

Genre: Progressive Rock

Artist: Ayreon

Album: 01011001

This song does not seem like a song that I would like because it is quite heavy. But there is a purpose for the heaviness. Each of Ayreon's albums is part of a huge story. This album focuses on a race that has evolved to the point where it has eliminated all emotions, and thereby eliminated all the bad things in life. There is no more crime or pain. They have even made themselves immortal. But there is no happiness or joy. So they decide to live vicariously through another race--ours. Unfortunately, our race eventually destroys itself, becoming extinct. As they see the destruction, they cry out, "I can see them crying! I can see the fear!" until "not a self . . . left alive."

But as they witness this destruction, they think of what they have learned. "Don't give up, remember how we felt--fire rushing through our veins . . . the meaning of life is to give life meaning!" How true that statement is! This race lived without feeling, without emotion. They could not die, but their lives had no meaning. Eventually, in this song, they reach the conclusion that they need to turn off the machines they depend on and deal with emotions and regain the will to fight and live.

The song ends with this race crying out to the Univsersal Migrator to make them whole, healing them from their meaningless lives. There is a God who is the Ruler of the Universe to whom I can cry out. He heals me and gives meaning and purpose to my life. If life starts to seem stale and empty, it is because it has lost its meaning. We must give our lives meaning, and there is only One who can do that. I personally know that I need to stop depending on other things, just as this race depended on their machines. By giving my life meaning, I will not meet my own extinction, nor will I be reduced to the same hopeless state as the race called Forever.

This is England

Genre: Progressive Rock
Artist: It Bites
Album: The Tall Ships

Out of all the new albums I've heard this year, this is the best one! There is not a song on the CD that I don't like. But "This is England" is certainly one of the best, possibly my second favorite of the whole album. What is it about? Um . . . England? I'm actually not really sure! But there are some very poetic lyrics in the song and the music is also incredible.

My favorite line in the entire song is, "I'm so ready to fly with nowhere to fly to!" Isn't that beautiful? I picture myself spreading my arms and preparing to fly, but just as I lift off the ground, I look around and I am not sure where to go. I have so much potential inside of me, but I'm not sure what to do with it. The song seems to be a conflict, going through the mundane and striving for something more. The end of the song leads to a sense of fulfillment and conclusion. "At the end of the day I'm coming home."

One of the things I love the most about It Bites is their vocal arrangement. They do fantastic harmonies. This song has quite a few examples. When my friend Nate first talked about this band, I didn't think I would like them very much. In fact, he even showed me this song and I wasn't impressed. But at the moment I put on their CD in my car, I fell in love with them. (The first song on the CD is an AMAZING example of vocal harmonies). I cannot wait until this CD is released in the U.S. I am definitely going to buy a copy.

The Way Home

Genre: Progressive Rock

Artist: Neal Morse

Album: Lifeline

I first heard this song at the Neal Morse concert that I went to. It was one of the best birthday presents ever that Nate gave me. Neal had not yet released Lifeline, but he played this song at his concert. I loved it immediately. One of the great things about Neal is that his music is either based on personal experiences or else on people that he has met. This song is a combination of the two, but it could also be a song for me.

"Running from a destiny I wasn't sure was mine, I chose a life of obscurity and I left my dreams behind. I traded my ambitions for the safe and simple life. But lately I feel far away and inside I feel like I can't find my way home!" I love the first line about running from destiny. Sometimes I feel like I do that. I also feel the same way. I get lost. "And if I stay here too long, I may never find that place where I feel like I belong! Can't find my way home!"

"Eeking out fulfillment in a tiny plastic jar, there isn't much to go around when you don't know who you are!" This song is very touching to me. He explains that he knows that he is a child of God, but feels so far away from Him that he is no longer sure who he is. He does not feel fulfillment in his life. At the end of the song, he begs the Lord for help. "Lord, show me the way home! I know somehow I'll find the place where I feel like I belong!"

This song is about changing. It is about someone who feels lost and is finally turning to the true source of Light for guidance and help. I go through moments like these. It's not so much that I am running from my destiny as it is that I feel like I am going nowhere. Maybe, in a sense, I am running from my destiny. But, like the speaker in this song, "I feel just like a dark cold night that's reaching for the dawn!" Through the Lord, I will not only find the way home, but I will also find fulfillment in this life.

Disney Afternoon Theme

Genre: Disney

Artist: Unknown-some person connected with Disney, obviously

Album: The Disney Afternoon

Ah...this song takes me back to my childhood. Every day from 2-4, my time would be spent watching Disney Afternoon. My favorite show for a very long time was Gummi Bears, but I loved the other original shows, such as Ducktales, Chip 'N Dale Rescue Rangers, and Tale Spin. I loved Gummi Bears a lot. I remember going to see a play with my Grandma Wanlass in California (the whole family went). She had some taffy, and I liked it because there is a Gummi Bears episode about taffy. I also longed to make Gummi Berry Juice so that I could bounce like the Gummi Bears.

For a while, Kelloggs cereal came with four characters from each Disney Afternoon show. I collected all of them, but then I lost Gruffi, one of the Gummi Bears. It was years before I found him again on the window sill of the den, behind the computer. He was faded from the sunlight, but I still have him. Eventually Grandma Wanlass gave me all the characters she has (I think they were a recent Christmas present, actually). So now I have my faded Gruffi and a brand new Gruffi.

When I was nine-years-old, I went to Disneyland with my parents and with Char and Samantha. Char bought me a cassette tape of the Disney Afternoon soundtrack and I was so happy to get it. I remember me and Samantha singing the Ducktales theme song as we drove back home that night. The cassette eventually broke, but years later my aunt Dee gave me the CD. I was ecstatic!

As the show went on, I had other favorites, such as Darkwing Duck. I collected almost all the action figures, and even got the Quack Attack (his ship) for Christmas. My favorite toy was Megavolt, who would actually shoot sparks. I wish I could get them again. Then Bonkers came on. I LOVE Bonkers. I can't believe it's not on DVD yet. Oh, well. Great times! This show was a big part of my life up to the time I moved to Utah, and I'm already collecting all the volumes of each show on DVD.

Forever and Ever

Genre: Disney

Artist: I'm not sure. If you know, please tell me.

Album: Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search For Christopher Robin

This song makes me think of my dear friend Erlândio. He was my last companion on my mission and he is a very good friend. Of all my companions, I have kept in contact with him better than any of my other companions. Somehow, we hit it off really well. Our friendship can be summarized by one of the "Interesting Stories" he would read to me from a book. It was about two children who grew up on a hill and were told that one day they would grow up and have to leave. But even if they did, their friendship would last because true friendship is an invisible force that unites people. Erlândio and I are bound by such an invisible force. Our hill was the mission. The day came when I had to leave, and even though we no longer are together in person, our friendship remains strong.

Such is the case with Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin in this beautiful song. Christopher Robin is trying to tell Pooh that he has to go away, but Pooh tells him that if it isn't something nice, it can wait "forever and ever." When Christopher Robin replies that this is a very long time, Pooh responds, "Forever isn't long at all, Christopher, when I'm with you." The song then delves into the wonder of childhood and boyhood and the meaning of true friendships. Pooh says, "I wanna call your name forever and you will always answer, forever! And both of us will be forever you and me. Forever and ever."

At the end of the song, after they have both talked about how much they long to be together forever, always by each other's side, Christopher Robin makes a promise. "One thing you should know: no matter where I go, we'll always be together forever and ever." Even though Christopher Robin would have to leave, the invisible force that unites him with his best friend Winnie the Pooh would hold strong. In fact, it is this same invisible force that leads Pooh to set out on an adventure when he thinks Christopher Robin is in danger. I am very grateful for this invisible force and I am grateful to Erlândio, who taught me how to be a better friend.

Remember Dreams Come True

Genre: Disney
Artist: Various
Album: Well, apparently it doesn't matter because I can't find a picture of it, but it's a Disneyland CD, I promise!

I don't know if you can really count this as a song, but I will anyway! It's at least a track on a CD. This was Disney's last fireworks show, and I can't think of a more perfect tribute to Disneyland. First of all, Julie Andrews hosts the fireworks show. She talks about Walt Disney and how he had a dream, a dream that came true and that has blessed millions of people. She talks about our heroes that he brought to life for us, such as Peter Pan, Aladdin, the Little Mermaid, and more. As she talks about these things, Tinkerbell flies above the castle. Then, we relive the dream as clips from most of the rides at Disneyland are played and fireworks match them. One of my favorites is during Pirates of the Caribbean, They play the part where the pirate ship is attacking the fort, and each time you hear the sound of a cannon being fired, fireworks shoot overhead as if they were cannon balls. It's great!

I saw this show for the first time with my family, when we went back in 2006. I went back in 2007 with Nate and we only watched half of it. It was too windy, so they canceled the show halfway through. But in 2008, something happened that made that year an unforgetable Disneyland experience! I walked up to a cast member and asked her if they were going to cancel the show, because I could see a little wind. She said that she wasn't sure and asked if we had seen it before. I explained that I had, but Nate had only seen half of it. She told us to a wait a moment while she talked to her supervisor. She came back and told us she got permission to make us VIPs. We got to sit on a bench where we had a perfect view of the show. A cast member also offered to take a picture of us, which he did. The fireworks show was NOT canceled and it was a very magical way to end the day.

Although this specific show has been canceled, I will never forget that experience and the wonderful fun I had that year and every year at Disneyland. Just as the message of the fireworks show teaches, I believe that dreams come true.

Any Dream Will Do

Genre: Broadway Musical

Artist: Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice

Album: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

This is a play that I have loved ever since I was a little boy. It is also the play I have seen more often than any other by far. The play begins with the narrator singing about dreams. "Some folks dream of the wonders they'll do" but many "hide their hopes." "We all dream a lot. Some are lucky, some are not." The narrator then tells us that this can all be explained in the story of a boy whose dream came true. That boy is Joseph. Joseph then enters the stage to sing this song. He had dreams and because of them he was sold as a slave and eventually cast into prison. His dreams seemed hopeless. And yet, in the end, his dreams really did come true.

There are times when I feel like Joseph in this song. "Far, far away, someone was weeping, but the world was sleeping." Somebody needed help, but the world was oblivious to the fact. One of my dreams is to find those people that are weeping and lift their heads and give them hope. I want to change the world for the better. I feel inspired by my dreams. I gaze at the distant horizon and see the dawn breaking. But then, frequently, I begin to lose sight of my dreams. This happens because I am either ridiculed or else I feel extremely burnt out. "The light is dimming, and the dream is too." But, like Joseph, I am still waiting. I am waiting for my dream to come true, to make a difference in the world.

This song also takes me back to my childhood. I remember first seeing it in Salt Lake City with my aunt Dee. I also remember on one trip to her apartment she presented me with my own "coat of many colors." I saw it multiple times after that, including once at Riverside. (I loved that theater, especially their production of Robin Hood). My favorite production was with Michael Damian. I saw that with my dad and Becky. I would act out scenes from Joseph at home. In the scene where he was thrown in jail, I would be behind the rocking chair wearing a towel (because that's basically all he was wearing in the play). I also drew pictures of parts of the play on the computer and wrote the accompanying lyrics (although I struggled with such words as economic). As a child, this was certainly my favorite play, only to be replaced years later by Phantom of the Opera, another Andrew Lloyd Webber masterpiece.

Thank Goodness

Genre: Broadway Musical

Artist: Music and Lyrics by: Stephen Schwartz

Album: Wicked

I had listened to the Wicked soundtrack multiple times before seeing it performed last month. This song never stood out to me as being very remarkable, but when I saw the play and understood the context of the song, it stood out a lot more to me. I'm not going to comment on the context of the song because I don't want to ruin it for anybody who hasn't seen the musical yet. But the part of the song that stood out to me were the lines: "Getting your dreams, it's strange, but it seems a little, well, complicated. There's a kind of a sort of cost. There's a couple of things get lost. There are bridges you cross you didn't know you crossed until you've crossed. And if that sudden joy, that thrill, doesn't thrill like you think it will . . ."

This song made me think about the price of dreams. Glinda had to make some sacrifices for her dreams. In this song, she happily proclaims that her dreams finally have come true. But as she says she, "Simply couldn't be happier," she suddenly stops and realizes, "Well, not simply." And from there she begins to reflect on what her dreams have cost her. Even though she obtained her dreams, the feeling was not how she anticipated it would be.

What about my dreams? I am working hard for them and sacrificing a lot of my time. But will this sacrifice be worth it in the end? Certainly there are some things that are worth the sacrifice, such as making it to the Celestial kingdom. All sacrifices necessary to make it there will definitely be worth it in the end and that joy will be far greater than I can anticipate. But what of my lesser dreams? I don't believe I should give up my dreams because the sacrifice might not be worth it, but I do think I need to better analyze my dreams and what the cost is going to be to achieve them. No matter what, all dreams will have a cost. The question is whether to cost outweighs the result. I don't know. I haven't really reached a conclusion yet. This song has just made me think about this subject a little more.

His Work and Nothing More

Genre: Broadway Musical

Artist: Music by Frank Wildhorn, Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse

Album: Jekyll & Hyde

As Jekyll immerses himself in his experiment, trying to fight against Hyde, his good friend Utterson makes a profound observation, that Jekyll's work is consuming him. Upon hearing this observation, Jekyll wonders, "Have I become my work and nothing more? I know that's not what I'm living for." Even his fiance and her father are concerned. His fiance tries to be supportive, but her father fears, "he's gone too far." Little do they realize just how much Jekyll has become his work.

Sometimes I also feel like I have become immersed in my jobs. I work so many hours during the day that I feel like I have my work and nothing more. I feel so burned out sometimes that I feel like I have "lost the fire [I] built my dream on." When people see how burned out I am and how much I long for a break, they ask me, "Is what you are seeking worth the price?" They wonder if I really need to work three jobs, taking up 15 hours of each day.

But for me, it is worth the price. At least, I hope it will be one day. I have over $3,000 saved up for when I get married. When that time comes, I know this will have all been worth it. I am also saving up for future vacations, school, and trying to get my car paid off. I know that in the end I will be really grateful for the work I am doing now. But even so, sometimes I wonder if it all really is worth it. I am working my life away, having little time remaining to enjoy myself. "There was a time [I] lived my life, and no one lived the way that [I] did . . . [I] had it all . . . [I] seemed to know just what to live for." I must be sure my life does not consist of only my work and nothing more. I want to feel alive every day and make every day a blessing.

So Many Roads

Genre: Progressive Rock

Artist: Neal Morse

Album: Lifeline

This song is one of Neal's greatest! The song is about a man that stands at a crossroads in life, looking at all the different roads before him. So many are calling out to him, but he knows that only one road is right. First he talks about the road of fame that promises to make him "a star for a day." They will invent a personality for him. It is really neat because when he is at the crossroads, there is a theme music that plays. When he starts down this first road, the same music is playing, but it sounds darker, signifying that this is the wrong road. Next he tries to humdrum life, where he has a family, but he is never home because he is working all day long. After that he tries another extreme where he can "forget it all" and "party every day." At last, he comes to the road that he feels has been calling out to him. This road requires him to look in the eyes of the Savior and the Savior will be his guide.

Like the man in the song, I can also say that "I came to a place in my life when I looked out at many roads" and "looked for the one that was right, stood frozen in my soul." Actually, I come to that time frequently. I feel like I am there right now. I have so many options before me, but suddenly I am not sure which option is wrong. "There's so many roads to nowhere." I need to find the one that, for me, is really right. I, too, "feel like I have a calling." Right now I feel like I am living the humdrum life. I feel like I am working my life away. I don't like this road that I am on. It is a road that shouts, "Give up your silly dreams!" "Dreams won't pay your bills." But I am a dreamer and I have a strong desire to achieve my dreams.

Just like the man in the song, I am trying to look in the eyes of the Savior, and also trying to look through the eyes of the Savior. "I'm seeking the One who will guide me . . . If I trust in the One who loves me, He will lead me in the paths of light." Life offers so many things, but time is so short here on earth. I can't afford to take the wrong road. Indeed, there are so many roads to nowhere. I want to take the road to somewhere. Lately I have had some promptings as to what I should do. So I will follow these promptings, putting my faith in the Lord that He will not let me go down the wrong road.