There’s a song that has been with me for as long as I can remember. A song that has accompanied me through the hot, dusty roads of my travels, through quiet moments of reflection, and those pivotal decisions when life seemed to be urging me to take a bold step forward. That song is Pink Floyd’s “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” Its echoing notes and haunting lyrics are more than music to me—they're a reminder. A reminder to shine on, no matter what.
It was with me during my first trip to Asia in the ‘90s, packed on a bus somewhere in Thailand, the sweltering heat pressing in from all sides. The air was thick and heavy, the journey long, and I was lost—physically and metaphorically. Somewhere between the endless stretches of unfamiliar roads and the hum of the engine, “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” played in my mind. The slow build of its opening notes was like a wave of calm, an invitation to keep moving, to explore the unknown. It was as if the song whispered a quiet, steady message through the heat and chaos: Shine on.
I felt it again in Malaysia. The tropical air, the crowded buses, the sense of being a small dot in a vast, uncharted world. On those endless journeys, I would look out the window and let my mind wander, while Pink Floyd’s ethereal tones reminded me that there’s always something more. The song rarely pops up in my life, but when it does, it’s like a tap on the shoulder from an old friend, nudging me toward bravery and creation.
"Shine on." It tells me, no matter the task at hand. Whether it’s the urge to build a website, launch a new venture, or simply start something I’ve been putting off—those words are always there. When I hear them, I know it’s time to step up, to be bold, to create. Write that song, build that business, launch that project, or finish that plan. The song always arrives at the perfect moment, as if it knows when I’m standing at the edge of something new, something that requires courage.
And it’s not just the big moments. It’s there when I need a nudge to learn to dance, to pick up a book I’ve never read, or to finally book that trip to a place I’ve never been. “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” has become the soundtrack to my life in movement. It’s the sound of possibility, of bravery, and of pushing forward when the path ahead feels uncertain.
The song doesn’t overwhelm me with its presence—it’s subtle. But when I hear it, I know I’m in a moment where something is about to shift. I’m reminded that we all have that spark, that crazy diamond inside us, and it’s up to us to let it shine. Whether it's a small decision or a life-changing leap, the song has always been my companion in those moments of movement and growth.
Now, years later, whenever I sit down to create something—whether it's a business plan, a new project, or even a simple idea—the opening notes of “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” still play somewhere in the back of my mind. They remind me of those long, hot days in Thailand, of the crowded buses in Malaysia, of the way I felt like I was just a tiny part of something bigger. And they remind me that no matter where I go, what I do, or how lost I may feel at times, I can always shine on.
The song is more than just a reminder to be brave—it’s the anthem of my life in motion, my constant companion in the unknown, urging me forward. To create, to explore, to be bold, whilst being aware, funny how this song really helped so many of us to think profoundly, and to shine on.
Comments
Post a Comment