When I was younger, sharing songs with friends was not a simple click and share via text message. While I am grateful for the simplicity of it now, I do miss the time and effort put into making someone a mixed tape or CD. When I was in high school a friend of mine made me a mix. Out of all the songs on this carefully crafted playlist, Walk On by John Hiatt was my favorite. I had never heard the tune before, and I fell in love with it immediately. About a week ago, it popped up in my random shuffle, and I felt instant comfort and a longing for simpler times.
It can be hard to describe why certain songs stand out and are more meaningful to you than others, and I remember thinking back then that I had no clue why I loved this particular song so much, other than the eerie imagery. In listening again, 18 years after first hearing it, I finally figured out what makes it so special to me. It is like the song knew me before I really knew me, a foreshadowing of how I would react to future events in my life.
This tune embodies who I am. The fear of not wanting to look back and the need to keep moving forward, and being able accept losses and deaths quickly while in search of redemption. “Walking on” is not always an easy thing to do and may even make me seem detached from emotion at times, but it is the only thing that helps me look ahead to a hopeful future.
If you have not heard this song, give it a listen. It is one of my favorites. John Hiatt is a brilliant storyteller, and makes you feel like you are walking with him through the streets of New Orleans, being pushed forward by fear of evil lurking around you.