With Or Without You

A high-school friend of mine just recently lost his brother unexpectedly to a heart attack. He loved to play the piano and U2’s “With or Without You” was the last song he ever played.

Two weeks ago that friend reached out to me and asked if I’d play and record it for their friends and family. I’d never even tried to plunk thru it before but I said yes, and agreed to give it my best effort as a memoir and tribute.

I was on my long drive home the other night from a great day down at the Indianapolis office for our family business listening to my arrangement for the first time after the Cello track was added and it hit me...

I didn’t just arrange this for my friend, I did it for me, and ironically, for you too.

We are living in some crazy times right now and if you’re honest with yourself, (as I am learning to be with myself) and if you’re really living, you’re in a struggle. It’s someone or something you can’t seem to live with or without. There’s always that tension.

Maybe it is a relationship, the recent loss of a family member, friend, spouse or coworker that you just can’t seem to get over. Maybe they are still alive and even healthy on the outside but they’ve all but killed you with what they’ve done. It might be job that you can’t live with or without. What about that one thing that you’ve swore you were done with but it continues to eat away at your time, your finances and true calling.

What is it for you?
What can’t you seem to live with or without?

I live in this tension too.

As somewhat of a pianist, I’ve come to see how important tension in life is. I want this short life of mine to be a beautiful song for God and the people I do life with... and in order for that to happen, I need to be tuned regularly, and quite often that stretch hurts.

If you still haven’t found what you’re looking for, trust that the beautiful orchestration of events that have brought you right where you are today are exactly what you need, and all part of His plan.

In the end, I know that the only thing I can’t live without is the relationship with the one who gave Himself away for me. He did it for you too. All He asks in return is that we do the same.