it's not so much the eastern "religions" as it is the ancient eastern thought process. as well as the thinking of the native americans. I believe it was the cheyenne who said we don't inherit the earth from our parents, we borrow it from our children. The ancient asians had the attitude that a young lady would plant a tree today so her great-grandchildren might enjoy the shade.
2 other mellencamp songs stand out to me in tandem with this one: you gotta stand for something and paper in fire. Mellencamp hits a balance we all seem to seek without knowing we seek it. the same balance eastern thought has been practicing for millenia. the balance between being self-centered and being self-aware.
Self-centered is "i want". I want a smooth life, money, good things, "why do bad things always happen?", etc;
Self-aware is knowing that i am but one short lived human being in a vast universe in an unknown stretch of time. I learn when to give and when to take. I keep check on my appetite and don't consume too much.
Self-aware can seem self-centered; but i assure you focusing on the self for a bit can give great insight into how we each fit into the grander scheme.
And Mellencamp does a fantastic job of setting these ideas in verse and song.
@nealmorton
it's not so much the eastern "religions" as it is the ancient eastern thought process. as well as the thinking of the native americans. I believe it was the cheyenne who said we don't inherit the earth from our parents, we borrow it from our children. The ancient asians had the attitude that a young lady would plant a tree today so her great-grandchildren might enjoy the shade.
2 other mellencamp songs stand out to me in tandem with this one: you gotta stand for something and paper in fire. Mellencamp hits a balance we all seem to seek without knowing we seek it. the same balance eastern thought has been practicing for millenia. the balance between being self-centered and being self-aware.
Self-centered is "i want". I want a smooth life, money, good things, "why do bad things always happen?", etc;
Self-aware is knowing that i am but one short lived human being in a vast universe in an unknown stretch of time. I learn when to give and when to take. I keep check on my appetite and don't consume too much.
Self-aware can seem self-centered; but i assure you focusing on the self for a bit can give great insight into how we each fit into the grander scheme.
And Mellencamp does a fantastic job of setting these ideas in verse and song.