Looking Back with John Mayer & Orpheus

When I was in elementary school, I used to hang around my dad's law office a lot. It was just him and me for a long span of time, and I was too young to be at home by myself, so that's where I went. It wasn't as bad as it sounds though - there were tons of things to do around the office, and around Seattle's world famous Pike Place Market, like watching all of the vendors chop fish up, and buying mexican jumping beans. But the best part about being around there was hearing his secretary tell my stories from Greek mythology. I would kulit her to tell me stories everyday.

My favorite (that I heard from her) was that of Orpheus. He's the dude that fell madly in love, and when he and his girl was wed, a snake bit his beautiful bride, and she died instantly. Sucks, huh? Well, he goes to the underworld, persuading all the right people / gods along the way with his musical skills to let him go and get her. So a deal was made. He could have her back. All he had to do was walk out the same way he entered, and she would follow him up. The catch: He couldn't look back - even to check if she really was following him. Just as he emerged from the underworld, he looked back because he didn't hear any footsteps behind him. Lo and behold, he saw her - but just long enough to see her face for a split second before he lost her (again) forever (again).

Anyway, I was reminded poor ol' Orpheus because I've been listening to John Mayer's song, Comfortable, trying to play it on the guitar. And I had the chance to really listen to the lyrics - and they are just irritating. He's reminiscing about this relationship he had. He's seeing some new girl who appears to be perfect - bible-reading, life-of-the-pary, artsy, okay-with-everyone type of girl. But despite her perfection, he craves for his flawed, foul-mouthed, reckless ex. Basically, he's trying to say (as the title insinuates) that his relationship with his ex was comfortable. And I start to confuse myself, as I tend to do, and turn off the music to reflect.

Why look back?

I thought about looking back and why people do it. You'd think we do it solely for the sake of remembering. But I think we do it for more reasons besides reminiscing. I think most of us look back because we naturally possess a few negative characteristics Orpheus and Mr. Mayer had: Lack of trust, attachment to the past or personal comfort zones, and fear of the future.

Poor Orpheus, I know. I might have looked back if I were in his kicks. But GIVE ME A BREAK. You go to the UNDERWORLD to get her back. I'm sure that wasn't a piece of cake - going to the underworld? I would have been scared outta my wits. But you go through it because you're soooo "determined" to get the girl back. And you have the chance of actually succeeding to do so! I mean, take the risk! Just don't look back! You've gotten that far...

And John, John, John. Keep your eyes off your comfort zone. You left for a reason - don't look back. Do you really want to be sucked back into your comfortable relationship with the girl who rides in shopping carts, and swears profusely? How are you supposed to move on to greater things when you don't wanna let go of the past? You can't reach heaven with one foot on the ground. It's yes, or no. Simple as that. Hard, maybe, but simple. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

By the way, who made that that saying up? It doesn't make sense. You can have your cake, but you can't eat it. So what were you supposed to do with it in the first? Smudge it all over your face? It's like saying, Okay, Jena. Here's your cake. But you're only allowed to wear it on your head. Don't eat it. That would be too much. Unbelievable.