{"id":82,"date":"2012-10-11T05:14:00","date_gmt":"2012-10-11T11:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/69.195.124.95\/~redletu4\/say-a-prayer-for-the-pretender\/"},"modified":"2012-10-11T05:14:00","modified_gmt":"2012-10-11T11:14:00","slug":"say-a-prayer-for-the-pretender","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davidrupert\/say-a-prayer-for-the-pretender\/","title":{"rendered":"Say a prayer for The Pretender"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

I looked longingly past the island, the exile, and I wondered. I thought the moat that surrounded me was there for my own good, to keep the world at bay. But then I realized it was there only to keep me imprisoned to what I done.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

For years, I dreamed of freedom, counting the days. \u00a0I\u00a0<\/span>don\u2019t remember when, but at some point I gave up. It could have been after I was told for the thousandth time that it couldn\u2019t be done, or when the slide show of my terrible past was shown on the big screen. Maybe, I just got lazy.<\/span>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\nI quit pacing the cage,<\/i> figuring the fight wasn\u2019t\u00a0worth\u00a0the effort. The keys to freedom dangled far out of my reach. So I made the most of my <\/span>exile, surrounding myself with entertainment, and friends and adventure. I became quite satisfied with the life I had built.\u00a0<\/span>I was convinced that I was safe, even comfortable<\/span>.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n
\n
\n\u201cSay a prayer for The Pretender, \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span>who started out so young and strong, \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 only to surrender<\/span>\u201d \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/span>\u2013<\/span> Jackson Browne<\/a>, \u201cThe Pretender\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
I wasn\u2019t alone. There were plenty of men and women, all hollow like me. We\u2019d all given up our passion, exchanging it for passivity and an ordered world. \u201cDreams are for fools, for we live reality.\u201d We no longer felt, no longer loved, numbed to the cold bars of a world that wants to make us forget that once we were free.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\nThe path was so well trod, until one by one, we all <\/span>g<\/span>ave up.<\/span>\n

<\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n


<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
\u201cSometimes you feel like you live too long\u00a0<\/span>
Days drip slowly on the page
You catch yourself
Pacing the cage<\/span><\/i>\n<\/b>

<\/p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Sometimes the best map will not guide you
You can\u2019t see what\u2019s round the bend
Sometimes the road leads through dark places
Sometimes the darkness is your friend<\/span>\n<\/b>

<\/p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Sooner or later you\u2019ll wind up
Pacing the cage\u201d **<\/span><\/i>\n<\/b>

<\/p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


<\/span><\/div>\n
But then I found a way out.<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n
\n
I\u2019m reveling in the restoration of my dreams, ignited by the light shining on the path. A Soul once crushed is now renewed. The Lifeless spirit finds breath.<\/span>\n

<\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u201cBehold, all things are new\u201d\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/span>\n

<\/p><\/span>

<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/span>\n

*<\/b>* Bruce Cockburn, Pacing the Cage<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\"Enhanced<\/a><\/div>\n
Please, share with a friend if you feel moved.
\nRead all past issues at http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davidrupert<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I looked longingly past the island, the exile, and I wondered. I thought the moat that surrounded me was there for my own good, to keep the world at bay. But then I realized it was there only to keep me imprisoned to what I done.\u00a0 For years, I dreamed of freedom, counting the days. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2375,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-82","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nSay a prayer for The Pretender<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I looked longingly past the island, the exile, and I wondered. 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