Mumford and Sons, let's discuss them. My friend once told me he didn't like them because they sounded like a shipping company. Upon reflection they do rather, but that doesn't make them any less admirable. I digress. They're my favourite band, by far and my favourite song by them goes by the name of Timshel. I'll be I've always loved this song, it's more than beautiful and seems applicable in every circumstance. After doing a bit of background reading I discovered the song was inspired by the John Steinback classic East of Eden (also a film with the one and only mr. james dean).
In the book the characters are discussing religion and various translations of the bible. The passage goes as follows:
“Don’t you see?” he cried. “The American Standard translation orders men to triumph over sin, and you can call sin ignorance. The King James translation makes a promise in ‘Thou shalt,’ meaning that men will surely triumph over sin. But the Hebrew word, the word timshel—‘Thou mayest’— that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on a man. For if ‘Thou mayest’—it is also true that ‘Thou mayest not.’
And now it all makes sense. As a christian I've always struggled with the concept of free will and how that's played out. And it finally makes sense. J. K. Rowling once said that "It is our choices who show who we really are, far more than our abilities" and i agree so greatly. I'm so very thankful that I have the choice. The choice of icecream when i go to a cafe, the choice of lipstick colour when I go out. And beyond such topical things, the choice to do what's right. I can choose God at any moment, and similarly , I can choose sin.
A song that always makes me nostalgic for the days when I first read the Harry Potter series is called The Last Call by a band called Oliver Boy and the Rememberalls. In the second verse, highly reminiscent of rowling, the lyrics say:
"We have the power of choice. We have the power to define our own future.
We merely have to step up to the plate and take hold of what we care for,
Not letting go of our dreams and wishes just because people tell us this all has a life span."
Now yes, he may have been talking about the Harry Potter fandom at the time, but I think these words still ring true.
So, in conclusion, celebrate your choice, whatever it may be. Furthermore, be humbled with the realisation that you're not forced to do anything, you can choose to be a better person at any time. And with that, some final words from Steinback are definitely needed:
“And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good.”
-Kate
