It doubtless seems a little odd for a girl still more or less at the beginning of her career (that’s me) to relate so strongly to a song famously and very obviously associated with a man nearing the end of his. But leaving aside the issue of my own early onset old age, I think that Frank Sinatra’s My Way carries an important message: to thine own self be true.
This is a message upon which I have been dwelling a lot recently, and one to which I endeavour to adhere increasingly strongly as life speeds past ever faster and people question the choices I make in life. To be able, in old age, to look back on life and be able to say that one has lived it to the full, with few regrets, that one has loved and laughed through the good times and stood tall through the tougher times – that must be a fine feeling indeed.
Of course, things don’t always go our way. We can’t always get what we want. But no matter what life throws at us, no matter what snide remarks other people may make about us or how many difficult situations we may be placed in, it’s imperative that we stand by our own principles and what we believe to be right. One must never allow external pressures of any kind force a compromise.
Just thinking aloud – a bit of random Monday philosophising for you there!
Thank you, Rachel. I’m a new follower of your blog and I love to read your well-written posts because you strike me as a thinker–and, believe me, those are increasingly rare these days. (I loved your recent review of Woody Allen’s newest movie!).
With respect, allow me to offer a different view of Sinatra’s famous “My Way”. I am a big fan of Sinatra and love listening to a station dedicated to him on my satellite radio when I’m driving. But “My Way” rubs me the wrong way because there is, in my view, an underlying arrogance in its message.
Life is a journey and in our youths we may be a bit more impulsive, a bit more idealistic, and certainly–at least in my case–a lot more foolish. We tend to learn from our mistakes, because life teaches us the limits and consequences of our foibles. One of the most endearing qualities a person can have (and based on your writings, I believe you possess it in abundance) is a measure of humility–the ability to be self-critical without emasculation, to be self-deprecating without being maudlin, the ability to offer oneself selflessly to help others.
“My Way” is none of these things. It fairly boasts of an air of independence, self-reliance, and a general lack of critical reflection. That said, the thing I do like about the song is a two-line couplet near the beginning–and which you highlighted in your post: “I’ve lived a life that’s full; I traveled each and every highway”. That’s fantastic–the notion of grabbing life by the horns and living it to its fullest! But all of us need–and have had–a great deal of help along the way, whether from parents, friends, or even knowledgeable and helpful acquaintances.
My bottom line message: Let us live life to the full, but let us also remember all those who helped us, influenced us, advised us, and even raised us up when we were in the ditch. After all, as John Donne famously wrote, ‘no man is an island’.
Thanks for letting me comment. And please keep writing and sharing with your followers the benefit of your expansive mind
Hello Don!
Many thanks for taking time to write such a thoughtful and insightful comment – it’s great to hear from you! It’s also wonderful to read that you enjoy my posts – thank you so much for your kind words! With regard to My Way, you’re absolutely right of course – and life would be very bleak without the support of family, friends and even acquaintances. I must admit, I did get a little swept up in the sentimentality of the song, and hadn’t even noticed the note of arrogance you’ve highlighted. It must be the frame of mind I’m in at the moment! I guess I liked its message of independence due to my own situation in life. Still, now that it’s been pointed out to me, I do agree with you and thanks for sharing your thoughts – also great to hear from a fellow Sinatra fan! Hope to hear from you again soon