RIP Chris Cornell (7/20/64-5/17/17)
When the forest burns along the road
Like God’s eyes in my headlights
When the dogs are looking for their bones
And it’s raining ice picks on your steel shore
I’m gonna break, I’m gonna break my…
I’m gonna break my rusty cage and run…
A few days ago I was saddened to hear about the suicide of Soundgarden (and Audioslave) lead singer Chris Cornell. For some reason, despite not knowing Chris on any personal level whatsoever, the news impacted me more than I thought it would. I found myself reflecting on it more than I imagined I would. Music was an integral part of my life from the ages of about 14 to 20.
In my youth, Soundgarden was one of those bands I really loved. My favorite songs were ”Rusty Cage, Jesus Christ Pose, The Day I Tried To Live, Black Hole Sun, and Show Me How To Live (Audioslave)”.
Although today I no longer agree with the victim mentality many of those songs seemed to embody, there was a certain energy, pride, and awesomeness (for lack of a better term), to many grunge rock bands of the early 90’s.
I respected Soundgarden for being damn good at what they did: writing, composing, and giving life to their own, unique sound of rock. I have a lot of respect for bands that are masters of their craft. Growing up listening to bands that were masters of their craft, taught me a lot about how to be a master of my own craft. By that I don’t mean music, but a master of whatever it was I was doing.
There’s a quote I heard once that always stuck with me.: ”Whatever you are, be a good one.”
Soundgarden wasn’t just good, they were exceptional. I never got into Audioslave too much. When Audioslave was on the radio when I was in high school (2000-2004), I was too busy listening to Soundgarden and other bands from the early 90’s. For one reason or another they resonated with me more and I considered them slightly better masters of their craft.
That, or the pure melody of Soundgarden did more for me than Audioslave. Soundgarden sounded more like Black Sabbath and I liked that.
I always liked music that came out ”before my time”. As a young man, most of us struggle with trying to find our place in this life. We struggle with trying to make and find the meaning of it. Listening to music as often as I did in those years, helped me through those struggles towards finding meaning and self purpose.
If I hadn’t had music, or bands like Soundgarden to get me through those tough years of youth, I don’t what I would’ve done. A man lives to have purpose and meaning. That’s why I created this website.
I knew there were thousands of guys that would (and will) find Mission Life Motion and benefit from it. I’m here to give you the tools you need so that YOU can find the meaning and purpose of your life. Without a mission (or purpose), a man has nothing. Period.
It’s the foundation around which the rest of his life is built. Many young men just simply haven’t had enough life experience yet and therefore seek out music and bands they identify with to help them find that. Therefore, for the most part I’d guess that music means much more to a young man than an older man. It helps him endure until he’s had those necessary years of life experience.
Unfortunately, sometimes guys older guys like Chris Cornell feel like their life’s purpose and meaning has come and gone for them. I don’t know what was going on with Chris, but if I had to guess I would say he may have felt an underlying depression, tied to feeling that he had already peaked and there was nothing left for him to look forward to. Maybe he felt his voice was growing too deep in his older age, and he’d no longer be able to offer the world the full range of his greatest musical talent.
Who knows, the point is, there will be times where you’ll have to search to find meaning. I do believe, that even though sometimes that process may take longer than you expect, you will eventually find it. I don’t think Chris gave himself enough time to find the new meaning of his life. I believe over the course of your life that meaning will change. It will evolve into different things.
You have to trust in yourself (and/or in God), that you will find it. Think about it, up until now, you have always found a way. You have always found a way to make something work, even if it was just getting through it. ”Enduring”, in other words.
There is always a better way than by taking your own life. We’re creative men. Not all men are, but the men on this blog reading this, probably are for the most part. It’s in our nature to find a solution, sometimes it just takes patience.
If you’re miserable or unhappy, then you just endure and hang in there long enough figure out why. Sooner or later, an answer will come to you. You WILL figure it out.
I couldn’t buy and eyeful of sleep
And in the aching night under satellites
I was not received
Built with stolen parts
A telephone in my heart
Someone get me a priest
To put my mind to bed
This ringing in my head
Is this a cure or is this a disease
Nail in my hand
From my creator
You gave me life
Now show me how to live
Until next time,
Live Intentionally
-Matt Mitchell
