Empty Life

One of the American Idol contestants sang a song Wednesday night about getting girls and all of that stuff.  It was kind of a dirty song and didn't have much of a message.  Not very enlightening or entertaining.  It was hedonistic.

When questioned about the choice of song, the contestant eagerly admitted that he is looking forward to being on a bus traveling around America with girls in every town.  I lost interest in him at that point.  He's on a road to nowhere.  Maybe kind of like Scared Straight every singer wannabee should spend some time with a touring band and find out what it's really like.

It can't be all that good because established bands don't go on tour very often.  And not that many use a bus.  What most singer entertainers realize at some point is that a person needs home and family, permanence, putting down roots and all of that.  The entertainment business is so frenetic as it is that something needs to make sense, something has to matter long term.  It would seem that Harry Connick and Keith Urban have learned that lesson.  They are family men.

This young man will find out, but he's the kind that will have to find out the hard way.  That's the road he wants to travel.

Life can be full and life can be empty.  A classmate of mine passed away in November 2013.  We found out when his invitation was returned marked "deceased."  That was a shock.  He'd never attended even one reunion but his friends missed him and wondered about him.  He died alone, estranged from his brother and even in the last years from his mother.  He wanted to be left alone apparently.  How sad. 

The difference between that full life and the empty one isn't easy to describe in the words we have available to us, but the effect is truly awe inspiring.  The full life comes to us when we know, love and serve God.  That's when all the pieces come together and life makes sense.  That's when we learn how to love others and think of them first.  That's when we grow in love and charity every single day.  That's when we cherish the simplest of things -- a hug from a grandchild.  A card.  And that's when we cherish family and friends and thank God for them.

The upcoming star on American Idol hasn't learned yet how a busy and immoral life can be empty, monotonous and meaningless.  I hope he does learn that lesson.