15 Aug Turn and Face the Strange

Iconic lyrics from the late David Bowie’s “Changes.” What do we do when a big change or loss hits us unexpectedly? Of course it depends on the type of change or loss. Recently my family and I were hit with such a change/loss. Bowie-philes believe the headline above related to alienation. The “strange,” they say, is not strange to him, but rather to others. He is aware of the alienation but wants others to see it as well and to help them deal with it. That anything that causes one to face uncomfortable questions about who they are is the “strange.” It also seemed the song was telling us that the only way to real enlightenment as an individual is facing the power of these changes. Says Bowie, “Just gonna have to be a different man.”

We should all take a moment from time to time and reflect on our “strange.” The best advice, of course, is to face our issues, help others understand our strange as best we can, and if necessary, be different. And don’t wait. As the song says, “Pretty soon now you’re gonna get older.”