An Innocent Man

My commute to work is a lovely back road scenic drive over the "mountain" as we from Berkshire County, MA call it as we travel to Columbia County, NY. 
It is exactly what you see in picture books, coffee table books and images of backroads and the path less traveled documentaries depicting the simpler way of life. 

The fields leading way to the distant Berkshire Hills and eventually the Catskill Mountains. 
The farmers on their John Deere, farm stands every few miles with trust buckets to leave your cash take your veggies, coolers with fresh eggs, vintage containers with freshly picked flowers, cows and llamas mingling in fields, birds and turkeys picking off the berries along the road, and little to no real traffic to be concerned of. 
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This drive is but one of the many joys of living on my piece of rural America or as my friend, Jennifer Mach, commonly refers to "the 413".  

Four days a week, twice a day,  I am able to enjoy the quiet time on this road contemplating my day ahead, talking to my guides, hearing their answers, listening to fantasy football talk radio tell me how to win big even though I never do, listening to music. 
It is an extraordinary time twice a day for reflection and guidance which brings me to the point of this musing.  

Last week, being the end of the regular football season, and deciding I needed some music rather than talk football, I tuned into the Billy Joel radio station for a change of headspace and was greeted almost instantly by "An Innocent Man".

Some people stay far away from the door
If there's a chance of it opening up
They hear a voice in the hall outside
And hope that it just passes by

"Huh".

I had been spending time wondering why we as humans have such a difficult time separating the ego from the soul. 
Attempting  to truly understand the difference to easily differentiate between  the "I" in the "I am" and  the "EEK" in the "Ego." 

Once again, Spirit led me to music for a greater understanding.

Some people live with the fear of a touch
And the anger of having been a fool
They will not listen to anyone
So nobody tells them a lie

I know you're only protecting yourself.

"Protect me from what?"

Freedom. 

Freedom to be, to let, to allow, to live.  Freedom to choose your life on your terms.  Freedom to love rejection as much as you love reward.  Freedom to allow the ebbs and flows of life and all its ups and downs, strangers and friends, lovers and foes to come and go with the same freedom.  

Freedom to know unconditional love, acceptance.  

Freedom to learn all there is to learn about you without caution or criticism.  

Freedom.  

"I get that.  Free Will, the Magician, the Wheel of Fortune, The Secret, I've read the books.
There has to be more."

Some people see through the eyes of the old
Before they ever get a look at the young

Some people say they will never believe
Another promise they hear in the dark
Because they only remember too well
They heard somebody tell them before

"It is hard to trust.  Lies are everywhere.  Humans lie."

Some people sleep all alone every night
Instead of taking a lover to bed

Some people find that it's easier to hate
Than to wait anymore
I know you don't want to hear what I say
I know you're gonna keep turning away

"I'm not turning away. You are not hearing me!  
Give me a better understanding. 
​There is more to it than Freedom.  
It isn't that easy."

There isn't more than Freedom, and it isn't that easy.

Freedom isn't something you read and learn from books, it is learned from experiencing all life has to offer while remaining non-judgemental, un-affected by the illusion seeming negativity.
 

I'm only willing to hear you cry
Because I am an innocent man
I am an innocent man
Oh yes I am

"Yeah, well being Human isn't as fun as you portend it to be. 
There are no college bills due in Heaven.."


You know you only hurt yourself out of spite
I guess you'd rather be a martyr tonight
That's your decision
But I'm not below
Anybody, I know
If there's a chance of resurrecting a love
I'm not above going back to the start
To find out where the heartache began

Apparent Negativity, senseless worry, fear, living in the Ego mind is not Freedom, it isn't loving, it isn't SOUL.

"It is living in a material world in which we must live as humans to survive."

If all you want to do is survive, sure. 
I thought by now you understood Humans  are all here to thrive.

Some people hope for a miracle cure
Some people just accept the world as it is
But I'm not willing to lay down and die
Because I am an innocent man
I am an innocent man
Oh yes I am
An innocent man

"What are you attempting to convey?!"

I am an innocent man
Oh yes I am
An innocent man


"Are you telling me YOU are the innocent man?!"

No, I am telling you, YOU are the innocent man.