During the television coverage of the London Olympics this year, there was a song that was played over and over and over. I’m not talking about the USA Swim Team’s version of Call Me Maybe (which was awesome, by the way). I’m referring to the theme song for the USA Women’s Gymnastics Team. The song is called “Home”, sung by an unfortunately monikered singer named Phillip Phillips.
I just googled the guy. Turns out that he won American Idol. Who knew people would vote for a guy with the name Phillip Phillips? It gets better, by the way. He’s also a Jr. This was no accident. 2 generations of parents chose to name their kid this. Wow.
Anyhoo, “Home” is actually less song and more ditty, comprised of 1 verse, 2 rounds of the chorus and a lot of “Oohs” and “Ah’s” in harmony. Which is lovely, but does not a song make. But in that chorus is this line:
“If you get lost you can always be found”
Which is a fantastic reminder. Because so often we consider being lost to be the epitome of failure. Ok, maybe not epitome, but we certainly don’t seek out the experience of lost.
Thing is, being lost is simply just another way to be “home.” Or to be you. Being lost is just the more disorienting, uncomfortable way to be you. In fact, it’s fairly easy to get lost. You can get lost when going to a new place, but you can also get lost in your life. In your job. In your relationship. Happens all the time and often occurs without us even realizing what’s going on until suddenly we feel disoriented and uncomfortable and less authentic in the place where we are.
So in order to be found or to get un-lost, we simply have to learn how to find the familiar in what is unfamiliar. Meaning, we have to remember who we are, even when we are confused, disoriented, out of sorts or uncomfortable.
Think of it as the bread crumbs Hansel and Gretel use to find their way out of the forest. Better yet and considerably less appealing to hungry forest creatures, it’s more like the thread Theseus uses to find his way back out of the maze and safely away from the minotaur.
We all have things that feel like home to us. Things that are deeply familiar. Comforting because they put us immediately at ease simply because they are so recognizable on almost a primal level. These elements weave into the fabric of your thread. You just have to have the wherewithal in times of crisis or simply when you feel most lost, to grasp the thread and lead yourself out of the maze, one step at a time.
If you can remember what is familiar when you are lost, you will always be home.
Thank you Phillip Phillips for this reminder. And for the first 30 seconds of your music video, during which you manage to raise one eyebrow and then the other, but separately from one another. That my friend, is a real talent.
