"Silhouettes" written by Devin Gackle, November 2016

Considering all that's been going on in the world this past year, I figured I'd make a statement of thanksgiving in time for the holiday. I'm thankful to be surrounded by my loving family, and to have learned who my true friends are. I'm thankful to have loved, and to have been blessed with creativity, especially in music.

I'm thankful I know that anger isn't the answer, and never will be. That hatred and fear lead us astray instead of on the right path.

We all get so caught up in things we think matter; but do they really? Material things, material relationships, politics and issues, people with prickly attitudes- at the end of the road, do any of those things really matter more than love? Than spending time with the people you love, and loving others for who they are? Or even than enjoying the little things in life?

It's hard. It's hard to let go and live, to forget what hurts us, holds us back, or influences us in negative ways. But if we keep letting things like anger, fear, and hatred get to us, we'll miss out on what really matters.

The secret is love. No joke. It sounds scary, but it's actually easy- easier than anger, in fact. Easier than fear. Easier, and stronger, even, than hatred.

So this thanksgiving I'm going to hope and pray that everyone can learn this lesson, so that we can stop being silhouettes and become people; so that we can break through the shells that encase us in indifference. And so that we can learn to let everything go.

And, let's do ourselves a favor, and keep all talk of the election and politics, issues and anything else that is otherwise depressing or un-cheery away from the dinner table. It's the holidays, so enjoy it.

Lyrics:

Your edges are sharp

Has anyone ever told you you're gonna put an eye out

You're a shot in the dark

Has anyone ever told you what goes up must come down

'Cause anger is easy, but love's not hard

We are silhouettes of ourselves

We're crystalized in distant, vacant shells

What if we could learn to let everything go

You always cut and run

But you'll get lost if you don't stop and listen to the stillness

If the fabric comes undone

We'll just get lost in the void before the silence opens

'Cause anger is easy, but love's not hard

We are silhouettes of ourselves

We're crystalized in distant, vacant shells

What if we could learn to let everything go

'Cause if you say it out loud that makes it real

'Cause before you could deny it

Well if you say it out loud that means you feel

'Cause before you could hide it

We are silhouettes of ourselves

We're crystalized in distant, vacant shells

What if we could learn to let everything go

'Cause anger is easy, but love's not hard