The Shadow Proves The Sunshine

In my personal opinion, this song is about God, and how you can always tell He(the sunshine) is there by the suffering(shadow) He helps you through. And even though sometimes that shadow makes it feel like He is gone forever, it always passes.

I really like the above comment, well said ; ) I had a friend who was upset that the song says 'O Lord, Why did you forsake me?' but its a way we all feel...i mean it says that how many times in psalms? I've felt that way so many times, but the truth is that God has always been there and it awesome. Thats what this song is saying

To AiR7oN. About your friend who was upset with 'Oh Lord why did you forsake me?'. Next time remind them of Jesus' words on the cross, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?', 'My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?' Of the son of God felt like that, it is no wonder we sometimes feel like that.

i think the saying "the shadow proves the sunshine" is more a comment on how if we didn't have pain and sorrow sometimes, how would we ever know love and how good it is? without any comparison, you'd never appreciate it.

I agree with infanitygirl "The shadow proves the sunshine" i love that one remember it in hard times, there's shadow, but also sunshine (good times)

Actually this song was written after the band went to Africa, and after seeing everything that was wrong there, there was still so much spirit and happiness. So it's a reflection on America, in light of their experience there, I believe.

"this song is about God, and how you can always tell He(the sunshine) is there by the suffering(shadow)" I agree completely likethecomet!

I also think that "we are crooked souls trying to stay up straight" refers to how as christians we are always trying to please God but we often fall short and fall back into sin. Its ok to fall short because we are forgiven by through the grace of God, there is a bible verse I could quote thats just like that but right now i cant remember what book its in, its something like "for all have sinned and fallen short, but are forgiven in through the grace of God" I always wondered about "dry eyes in the pouring rain" but now i think it might mean that we are in a hard situation (pouring rain) but we know that God will get us through (so we have dry eyes)? Maybe, maybe not :)

I always thought the 'dry eyes in the pouring rain' was simply carrying on from the 'trying to stay up straight', they just didn't add another 'trying' in. In other words they're basically saying, "We are crooked souls trying to stay up straight, trying to dry eyes in the pouring rain." That's just how I understood it, I could just as well be wrong.

I think the line, 'The shadow proves the sunshine,' means that even in dark times, positive things are happening in the world. It's like a metaphor. You can't have a shadow without the sunshine.

i think you've really got it suchahero. and the lines "O Lord why did you forsake me, O Lord don't be far away" its from the psalms. David felt the same way. i think Jon really saw this when he wrote it. to have the same faith and not doubt that there is a God taking care for you when you're going through this shadow. totally awesome song. keep it up switchfoot