Letter to my teenage self

A new book has been published this week called Letter to My Teenage Self  in which 50 prominent Australians write the advice they'd like their teenage self to have.

It got me thinking about an album I listened to a lot as a teenager, The Big Picture by Michael W Smith. I listened to this album at least once a day when I was 15, and many times after too. We didn't have a CD player in 1987, so this was on a vinyl LP.

I was a nerdy, unathletic, uncoordinated 15 year old. I felt picked on at school and wasn't enjoying puberty in the slightest. Becoming fanatically Christian certainly didn't help my popularity. But this album, along with other Christian rock albums became my solace. Like so many teenagers, I listened to albums on high rotations, and the lyrics shaped my worldview. The melodies and phrases inhabited by conscious thoughts and my daydreams.

As I look back now I can see how the lyrics shaped me. Much of what I truly, deeply believe about myself, life and God is not what I was taught in seminary, but in this album, and in the bible verses I later read which backed it up.

The song Lamu described the human condition and gave me a place to recognise my need for more:

"But I hear you telling
This is everything you need
Well, I don't think it's true
Cause the way you feel isn't real
You attempt to try and fill
The void that's digging thru"


 You're Alright was the greatest boost to my self esteem:

"To learn how he loves you
Is to learn to love yourself
To live the life he's living in you
And what others think of you
Could never measure to the wealth
Of what he's paid and given to you"
 
and Pursuit of the Dream   gave me a sense of life being an adventure to look forward to. When I first began to intuit that priesthood might be my calling the idea of the big picture was part of my framework for understanding that God could have a calling for my life

"Wake up and dream about
The plans you have in store for you
But keep in mind it's not just what you do
But what you do it for and who

There are choices that build you
Choices that will make you fall
All part of the big picture
One day you will see it all"

So why write this in my blog now? Well, this album is now 30 years old. It's a bit dated, a bit 80's sounding. But for me it resonates deeply. I recognise the power of having immersed myself in positive Christian lyrics which shaped my thoughts and feelings. If I could write a letter to my teenage self I'd say "keep listening to those songs". I'd love for kids today to have that some experience. I don't think listening to Justin Bieber is going to help much. There's a Christian radio station HOPE 103.2FM which plays a good mix of new Christian music and decent secular pop songs. It might be a place to start.