Brand New Day

This morning on the way to work I popped in a CD as I wasn't in the mood for the drone of talk radio I often listen to on my morning commutes. The first song to play was Al Kooper's Brand New Day from his Easy Does It album. It really started my day on an upbeat note:

Last night I had a dream that the world was changin’ by leaps and bounds
It started up in the bigger cities and it spread to the smaller towns
The people began to small at people that they never even seen
And when Jeremiah woke me up, I was ready to live that dream

Well it’s a brand new day
Brand new way
Brand new day
Uhh-huhhh
Give it to me!
Alright!

You know the mother called the father on the telephone
She cried “My God I’m so upset”
She said “The boy left home naked this mornin’ all he took was the TV set”
Then the sister picked up the extension and she said, “He’s just doin’ his thing.”
Then the father hung up on the mother
And the children began to sing

Well it’s a brand new day
Yessir, brand new way
Brand new day
Uhh-huhhh
We’ve got to put our heads together
And see where we’re goin’ from there
We’ve got to fight for what we believe in
‘Cause there’s somethin’ in the air

It’s a brand new day
That’s right
Brand new way
Brand new day
I can feel it growin’ stronger every minute now

Twenty million shadows stormin’ at the gates
Now how can you be surprised?
With the image of the fallen four reflected in their eyes
Though twenty million tongues are shoutin’ out it’s only heard by a precious few
But the years of night will pass forever when the sun comes shinin’ through

On a brand new day
Brand new way
Yessir, brand new day
Hey, people you know that it’s a brand new day
Brand new way
Brand new way of walkin’
Brand new day
Yessir, brand new way

It’s alright
Yes it’s alright
It’s alright now
It’s alright
And it’s alright
Yes it’s alright
And it’s alright

I'm guessing that the "fallen four" that Kooper sings of, are the four students killed at Kent State in 1970 (considering Easy Does It came out in '70). But even in light of his mention of that tragedy, Kooper's attitude is one that's upbeat and optimistic for the future-- a message that is generally rather timeless. And it's a considerably more upbeat way to start my day than listening to political talk radio and the gripefest about Harry Reid.

Now the key is to hold on to that upbeat optimism throughout the rest of the week. After all, ever day is a "brand new day" and there's no need to dwell on the negatives of the past or worrying about things that haven't yet happened. The only thing you're ever fully in control of is the present. Take care of the present on this brand new day and the future, you'll find, will sort itself out. As for the past, what's done is done. You can't change it, so rather than dwell on how things could have been better... it's best to make them better now.