Friday Philosophy – Cohen Style

I’m doing something a bit different today.  Despite the fact this post does not have a Chicago connection, it certainly has a Canadian connection.

I present to you a portion of the song lyrics from, “Anthem” by Canadian singer, song-writer, and poet, Leonard Cohen:

Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack in everything

That’s how the light gets in

That’s how the light gets in

That’s how the light gets in.

When I was in university (college) I had a student advisor that can only be described as, “other worldly”.  He seemed to have an energy that was divine.  It was almost as if he was an angel disguised as a human being.  I have never met anyone else like him, and I probably never will.

I was nearing the completion of my degree so I made an appointment to see him to talk about the inevitable job hunting, what do I do now, kind of conversation.  He told me he was leaving the university and moving away; I knew at that moment I’d never see him again.  Holding back the waves of tears I could sense were meandering forward, I put out my hand to shake his hand.  He put a small card in my hand and wished me a wonderful journey.

I did not look at the card until I arrived home that day.  It was his business card; I thought to myself, well, I know who and where you are, and you are leaving, so why did you give this to me?  I flipped the card over; he had written the above words from Leonard Cohen’s song, “Anthem” on it.

For reasons unbeknownst to me, I did not understand what the words meant.  It literally took me years to ‘get it’, as it were.

I am so incredibly grateful to my student advisor, and to Leonard Cohen for providing me with such beautiful and wise words of wisdom.  I’d like to hear your thoughts on its meaning, so I won’t expand on my interpretation at this time.

Have a wonderful weekend, Cohen style!!