We've Only Just Begun

The Carpenters

How can a song that sounds so sweet be so sad at the same time? Is "We've Only Just Begun" sad because Karen Carpenter suffered an untimely death in the hands of anorexia? Because her voice so capably communicates depth of feeling?

Before the rising sun we fly
So many roads to choose
We start our walking
And learn to run

Or is it because in the beginning of something especially dear, there's the anticipation that one day, like our lives, it will slip through our fingers, it will pass like a golden summer, remembered best as the leaves fall.

I played this song in my car yesterday night; a couple of my best friends are leaving town this weekend, headed for brilliant new adventures-- and gainful employment-- on Whidbey Island. I'm thrilled for them, but the lump lodged at the back of my throat would like me to peer into the future and find out how long it will be before our paths converge again. It's hard to watch them leave Eugene, because even though we are still in the beginning years of knowing and caring about each other, the absence is keen.

And when the evening comes we smile
So much of life ahead
We'll find a place where there's room to grow
(And yes, we've just begun)

Love you, friends. Looking forward to more times together, in our place and yours.