Yes, It Can Happen - Explained

I want to explain myself on one of my blog themes, "It Can Happen".

I have incorporated some lyrics from the song by Yes, "It Can Happen", into the header of my blog. In addition, I've placed a link for the song in the sidebar.

The purpose of this theme is probably far from what you may think, that is if you have given any thought to the theme at all. The songs lyrics repeat several times, "It can happen to you, it can happen to me, it can happen to everyone eventually". What is "it"? This is one of the reasons I like the song so much. It is short, but it asks a question that does not seem to be answered. What is "it"? If you want to take a shot at the answer feel free to read the lyrics at this point here. There are a few errors in the lyrics as presented on the linked website, but they dont affect the question and the answer. Hint: The answer is in the song but you wont find it in the published lyrics.

What it is not. I did not incorporate this theme to say that "getting my disease, or any disease, can happen to anyone." In fact, regarding my disease, Myelodysplastic Syndrome, I would bet that NONE of you will get it. It is rare. Much more rare that any disease you have probably ever heard about. The incidence is less than 12,000 people per year in the US. MOST of these cases are people over 60 years old. So, in the San Diego area with a population of around 3 million, there might be 120 people diagnosed per year and maybe 30 of these are under 60 years old. Very rare. This is not a disease you have to worry about.

Then what is it? At the very end, as the song is fading, the chorus is repeating. As the people who took the time to write down the lyrics have put down their pens and the volume has dwindled to maybe a quarter of the full volume, lead singer Jon Anderson provides the answer, "You can love yourself". Hear it for yourself. The answer is provided only at this one place in the song.

As rock music philosophy goes this song contains a rare gem. This is my take on the message: Loving oneself is a process and one should let it happen, not fight it. We can architect our lives around it. If we open our eyes we can see beauty of it. If we let it happen, it *will* happen.

I think it's a good message. I'd be willing to bet that a lot of good things can and will happen in ones life if it is allowed to happen.

That's why I have a fond place in my heart for the song and why I've included it as a theme in my transplant blog.