BY JOELLEN COLLINS
In December, on a quiet night at home, I watched a tribute to Paul Simon and his music. As a younger woman, I adored Simon & Garfunkel, and often caught their lyrics running through my consciousness. Those words seemed especially relevant to me and the choices I made in my life. Some were comforting, like “A Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Those lyrics symbolized my blanket of comfort from my friends and family when scary or hateful things crossed my path.
Even with maturity, I still crave the lift I get from listening to the beautiful songs available to my generation. The “Homeward Bound” Grammy presentation praising the life and work of Paul Simon was a surprise to me, a woman who lives alone and doesn’t always have someone with me to share the inspiration. It was a magical show, and I am lucky to have seen it. Instead of nudging the person next to me, a way of reacting to exquisite performances, I called my daughters and closest friends to tell them to catch it if they could.
Still, I’d rather be with someone to share these moments. On a solo trip to Greece and Spain, I sat in the famous Greek theater adjacent to the Acropolis by myself even though hundreds of people were also in the audience watching Irene Pappas in “Medea.” Oh, to have had a soulmate next to me for that!
This time I heard most of my favorite pieces from Paul Simon, but one has stayed with me for several weeks as I have been traveling alone and embarking on some new ways of getting around. The lyrics of “Slip, Slidin’ Away” mean something different to me now than before. I used to apply those words to missed opportunities, as if they had just slipped through my hands. Now, however, I am focusing on the lyric, “The nearer the destination, the more you’re slip slidin’ away.”
I’ve read several analyses of that line. Does the destination encourage ways to avoid reaching it? Is this merely an excuse to put off an established goal — to procrastinate — or is it a reminder that perhaps the end of the trip is not as important as the unexpected slides during our voyage.
I would prefer to look at slidin’ away as a positive aspect of being bold, of sampling new patterns — in essence, expanding the cozy box one might want to stay in for safety. When I review my life, I admit that I am more of a dilettante than a fully realized success at whatever I was meant to do. However, my slides into world travel, new teaching experiences, attempting publication, or going off a certain path to be with someone I cherish, have resulted in some of the richest, most exciting and productive times imaginable. I don’t regret those times. I can’t claim expertise in a dominant goal, but boy, has it been fun! I don’t think I’ve ever been bored, especially while anticipating a slip into the new.
