Baltimore, here I come again
Riding on this big old bird tonight
Into your winking city lights I descend
Trying to pretend that I’m alright
Like your harbor’s pigeons, I keep coming back
To the weary perch I’ve had before
Hoping just this once for what you’ve always lacked
Lord, I just can’t do this anymore
Chorus:
The wise man said insanity is doing the same thing
And expecting something different and new
I gotta stop this running, gotta take a look within
Baltimore I can’t hide behind you
Baltimore I been here before
Carrying this baggage like a stone
Some small part of me will miss your old seaport
But I just gotta find my own way home
Chorus
Hiding from what is the better part of me
Moving further into the light
Creating a new kind of journey
Hey! Let’s turn this plane around mid-flight.
Chorus
I gotta’ stop this running, gotta take a look within
Baltimore I can’t hide behind you … THANKS FOR THE LESSON.
Song Origins:
As you might imagine, I wrote this song flying into Baltimore. I was involved in a long-standing consulting project that had me frequently traveling there. The work itself was not fulfilling anymore; in fact it hadn’t been for a long time. When I was assigned to a project with someone who was, let’s just say, not happy to have me there, I finally realized how often I was choosing the safe route instead of the lesser known one with the potential for making me more alive in the world. Baltimore then, became a metaphor for the choices I make that keep me from moving through my fears to "create a new kind of journey" for myself. The words I speak at the end of the song -- "thanks for the lesson" -- are indeed a thank you, though a bitter-sweet one, as many of the best life lessons are derived from painful experiences, such as this one.
Jen’s Favorite Line:
Hiding from what is the better part of me
Moving further into the light
Question to Contemplate:
What picture comes to mind when I contemplate moving further into the light?