“Shattered. All my dreams [have] been torn apart..."
Album: "For My Peace", Single | Track Four: Splinters | SelahLuke.com
Years ago, I wrote this song while sitting in an empty room that was supposed to be filled with music and laughter from my band mates. But, as per usual, no one was there but me. They never showed up. Did they promise and set the time? Yes. Did they have reasons? No. Did this kind of thing happen often in every area of my life and fledgling career? Unfortunately. Did it make me feel like I was never going to move forward with my dream? Definitely.
“Why'd I ever drop my guard? Without risk, you don't get scars”
I’ve come to realize that music (any art form, honestly) can be a thankless industry. You pour your heart out onto paper with all it’s good, fun, and agonizing, turn it into something beautiful, and then release it free into the world, just to hear… crickets. criticism. challenges. So, you rise to the challenges, just to find more. And more. And more. Until you wonder if this dream you’re pursuing is even worth it, if it’s not meant for you, if your voice even matters, if you’re ever going to make a difference. You wonder how many times you can fall and scar yourself up before you’re unrecognizable.
Then there’s that one person who finds you and loves what you’re about. It doesn’t necessarily turn the tide and help get your music out to more people, but it brings meaning. It reassures you that you’re on the right path, that the dream inside you was put there for a reason, and the journey to reach it will be worth it. Granted, the moments of victory can be rare, but they help us dreamers hold on. Then, the scars are reminders of how far we have come.
“Determination isn't always key"
I used to think that if you worked hard enough, pushed hard enough, prayed hard enough, that things will work out and your wildest dreams can come true. I no longer believe that blindly. I’m learning now, that deciding what you’re about, redefining what success will look like, and turning your dreams into goals with actions steps is essential to make any sort of dent…
But it’s hard to focus on the end goal when you feel hopeless in the center of it all. Some days, weeks, months, I want to give up. Heck, some days I do. I have no idea if this journey will lead anywhere, but I’m learning to see through the glass splinters of the reflection I dreamed of and walk towards enjoying the process instead. Not gonna lie though, the key word there is “process.” I know I’ve come a long way since writing this song, but the battle rages on.
“Can't look back, even if I don't know why. If it's in my soul, then I'm meant to fly...
through the splinters."
