Second Thoughts – And the Southern Cross – Seven League Boots

Greetings Dear Reader,

Southern Cross is based on the song "Seven League Boots" by Rick and Michael Curtis. Stills explained, "The Curtis Brothers brought a wonderful song called 'Seven League Boots,' but it drifted around too much. I rewrote a new set of words and added a different chorus, a story about a long boat trip I took after my divorce. It's about using the power of the universe to heal your wounds. Once again, I was given somebody's gem and cut and polished ii” Songfacts.com

This song truly is a gem.  It starts in the middle of a journey.  I suppose this is one of the reasons it drilled so deep into me so long ago.   I have loved this song for 34 years.  I have understood it for much less time than that, but I am getting ahead of my story.

Got out of town on a boat goin' to Southern islands.
Sailing a reach before a following' sea.
She was making' for the trades on the outside,
And the downhill run to Papeete.

Off the wind on this heading lie the Marquesas.
We got eighty feet of the waterline; nicely making way.
In a noisy bar in Avalon, I tried to call you.
But on a midnight watch I realized why twice you ran away

First things first:  The first verse is so very clearly set in French Polynesia.  Papeete is in Tahiti.  The Marquesas are volcanic islands but they are off the path of the trade winds.  We see the beauty and splendor that is open sea and spray provided by good wind and a following sea.  Then we meet the moment. 

“In a noisy bar in Avalon I tried to call you.”   This could be California but I think it is near Sydney in New South Wales.  I had no idea when I first loved this song how much this line would mean to me.  That is something for my mind.  Then we meet the foil:  “But on a midnight watch I realized why twice you ran away.”

We run when we should not.  We run when we should fight for good and better and best.  We run from things that hurt and frighten us.  We run form honor and hope.  When others run I do not always see why and I do not handle it well.

I have run when I should have fought.  I have seen others run when the greater good was to fight for love.  We lift love and promise to hold it only to run when it gets too hard or we want our own things. 

It is our duty to hold love no matter how hard it is.  It is our obligation to not run but to stand and love no matter what it costs us.  We are obligated to vertical love to the Father and horizontal love to each other even if we do not have the wind or a following sea.  When we life love we are obligated to hold it.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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