Going Gray: Say What You Need to Say

“Have no fear for givin’ in.  Have no fear for giving over.  You better know that in the end, it’s better to say too much, than never to say what you need to say again….” 

-From the song “Say” by John Mayer (From the movie The Bucket List)

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love John Mayer.  Okay, okay, he might be too young for me, but so what.  His new song ”Say” speaks to me on so many levels.   ”Say” is played at the end of the movie The Bucket List  starring Academy Award winners Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson.  The Bucket List is about two terminally ill cancer patients who have their say about their final days on earth.   Having lost my father to cancer eight years ago, this movie is on my “to see” list. 

As I was listening to “Say” this morning,  I started thinking about the choice to go gray and the completeness that comes with having a say about the way we live our lives.   I also see the choice to go gray, especially in an anti-aging, appearance-obsessed society, much bigger than taking a stand against convention.  For many of us, going gray means accepting the natural process of aging with magnanimity, honor and respect.  It means getting up in the morning and feeling blessed that we even have hair to groom.    And it represents the precious gift of life and all of its wonder, blessings and possibilities.   Going gray has its say about many things.  

The lyrics from the song ”Say”:

Take all of your wasted honor.
Every little past frustration.
Take all of your so called problems,
Better put ‘em in quotations.

Say what you need to say (x8)

Walkin’ like a one man army,
Fightin’ with the shadows in your head.
Livin’ up the same old moment
Knowin’ you’d be better off instead

If you could only…Say what you need to say (x8)

Have no fear for givin’ in.
Have no fear for giving over.

You better know that in the end
It’s better to say too much, than never to say what you need to say again.

Even if your hands are shaking,
And your faith is broken.
Even as the eyes are closin’,
Do it with a heart wide open.

(Wide Heart)

Say what you need to say (x7)

Say what you need to, Say what you need to…

Say what you need to say.

 I know I am going out on a limb here, but what the hell…..  John Mayer for President!