Devils and Dust

Devils and Dust: Lyrics by Bruce Springsteen

[Note: The punctuation and some capitalization are my own. The lyrics flow better for the reader’s understanding with the changes. Excuse me for tampering with your lyrics Bruce. It’s the editor in my head that never shuts up.]

What if what you do to survive,
kills the things you love?
Fear's a powerful thing.
It can turn your heart black you can trust.
It'll take your God filled soul,
and fill it with devils and dust.

Me: I don’t see the God whom Springsteen refers to as the Christian God. The word God for me, a practicing Buddhist, represents the exceptional spirit residing in each one of us; however, I agree with Bruce that fear does kill the noble, tender and vulnerable space inside of a human being capable of experiencing joy. Over time, this death harms creativity, connections to others, and our sense of wonder at living life on the planet earth. Devils and dust is the imagery used to articulate the process of decay that will overwhelm us if we don’t pursue the things in life that we truly love. It may seem simple, but it takes human energy and persistence to look fear in the eye until the monster in the mind turns away, embarrassed and defeated.