Simple [Hu]Man

#Monday, Believe, Family, Growth, Music, Peace, Remakes 1 Minute

Sometimes I feel that I write these posts as advice I wish I had given my kids. You see, I had my first baby at age nineteen and my second at barely twenty-two. Looking back, I was so young and dumb, and my mother’s guilt would tell you, “I wish I had parented better.”

Shoulda. Woulda. Coulda.

I don’t beat myself up over this anymore, but my former self was super hard on me. Now I let the past stay there, and I understand that all of my past lives have shaped me into my current self. I did the best I could at the time, I loved those babies hard, and I still love these adults fiercely.

I suppose all this draws me to the lyrics of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s 1973 “Simple Man.”

My mama told me when I was young
Said, sit beside me my only son [baby girl, too]
And listen closely to what I say
And if you do this it'll help you some sunny day…

Oh, take your time, don't live too fast
Troubles will come and they will pass
You'll find a woman [or a man] and you'll find love
And don't forget that there is a someone up above [SO IMPORTANT!!!]

And be a simple kind of [hu]man 
And be something you'll love and understand

Allow me to introduce the lovely Sierra Eagleson. I think she’s twenty-four. I feel her stripped down strength and believe you’ll love and understand.

Photo by MIRTO KON on Pexels.com

For Remake Monday today, I think I’ll try to keep it simple and love and understand and remember that troubles will pass.

Published by Crystal Byers

When I was young, my dad would always say, "Crystal, you can choose your attitude." One day I chose to believe him.

Published

39 thoughts on “Simple [Hu]Man”

  3. Good reflective post and music choices, Crystal.

    I have two recollections about a life lived that are amazingly simple…1) from the Most Exotic Marigold Hotel…”Everything will be OK in the end, because if it is not OK, it is not yet the end.”

    and 2) from a grad speech Steve Jobs made at Stanford about looking forward and looking back. “Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards 10 years later. Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.”

    Every step we take is for a reason. I often marvel looking back how my steps took me to meet my bride, raise two fine boys and achieve happiness and success. I never saw it coming, but it is so clear now looking back. All the best. Allan

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  9. Hello Crystal, We could all gave perfect lives if we could live them backwards. But that’s not the way the traffic goes
    so learn and move on. Once upon a time in a Al-Anon meeting I heard someone say, “Sometimes our gifts come wrapped in pain.” Amen Church is out. Have a great day, Jerry

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  10. Hi Crystal, I think forgiving my parenting failures helped me in some way forgive the mistakes my parents made. There weren’t many, but what I realized after having children of my own, is we’re all doing the best we can, at times we fail, forgive, and move on! C

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  12. Both songs are powerful, Crystal, and they offer a message intense in its simplicity (as it were).

    From both, one gets the sense the advice may have been dismissed when it first was offered, but experience reinforced the original message. Hence, it inform the lyrics with special feeling and yearning.

    Great choice for the week, Crystal!.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. “The art of simplicity is the puzzle of complexity” (Douglas Horton). No doubt—experience reinforces our understanding. You’re always on point with your philosophy, Keith. Have a great week!

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  15. My youngest daughter is now 25 and has always loved the song “Simple Man”. I was 38 when she was born, which turned out to be ideal for me, being very immature and self-centered in my 20’s. Young parents should not be too hard on themselves, after all, they’re still kids as well. Both of mine are young mothers now and I occasionally tease them about, “Kids having kids!” All situations are different, but past troubles often fade away when they become adults and start having their own children.

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  17. Crystal,
    I have always loved teaching with music. I believe it hooks the kids regardless of the year it was written. I used to teach the 1960’s with protest music. Unfortunately I never had kids. It is not that I did not want them, I just did not meet the right man. A dear friend of mine that is not married offered me use of his sperm if I wanted to have kids. I said thank you, but no I want them to have a father in their lives. I wonder if I was younger at the time, and knew I wasn’t going to find someone to have them with if I would have chosen different. That is why I want to stay super close with my nephews. I love them fiercely. I understand being a young mom, my mom was 22 on the day I was born, my Mom’s birthday. Yes that has happened 3 times in our family. Children being born on the exact same day as their parent or grandparent’s birthday and several more near misses. I really enjoyed this post.

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    1. Hello Shea. Thanks for visiting and sharing. I’ve always tried to slip in music here and there while teaching—“War” and “Strange Fruit” and “Feeling Good.” Since I’m a student at the moment, I’ve turned Mondays into my own virtual classroom here on the blog. The point is to Remake Monday vs. dreading it. If only I can find a position that will let me do what I want when I return to the classroom. I have a few ideas from over twenty years to take with me, and I always try to sprinkle in psychology. (With literature that’s pretty much everyday).

      Even though it’s not Monday, I’m headed to Galveston to park my butt on the beach for a couple of hours and breathe. Oh and to remember that troubles won’t last…

      ❤️

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  18. #Simple [Hu]Man

    [ ]

    Sometimes I #feel that I write these #posts as #advice I wish I had given my #kids. You see, I had my first baby at age nineteen and my second at barely twenty-two.

    …

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