Monday, March 17, 2008

RENT

So the school is currently running it's annual cabaret. And of course, I'm involved in the staff item - a raunchy little song by Tom Jones - in which I get to leave my hat on....

But tonight, after my little performance, on my way home in the car I found myself singing one of the other numbers: a song from RENT called 'Seasons Of Love'. (Rent is a musical based upon La Boheme but altered to reflect the life of starving, HIV positive artists in New York's East Village.) I had one of those epiphany moments. I've been singing this song for days now, but only tonight did the words penetrate to my heart.

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes,
Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear.
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes.
How do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee,
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.

In five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes.
How do you measure a year in the life?
How about love?
How about love?
How about love?
Measure in love.

Seasons of love.
Seasons of love.

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes!
Five hundred twenty-five thousand journeys to plan.
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes.
How do you measure the life of a woman or a man?

In truths that she learned, or in times that he cried,
In bridges he burned, or the way that she died.

It's time now to sing out, tho' the story never ends.
Let's celebrate, remember a year in the life of friends.
Remember the love!
Remember the love!
Remember the love!
Measure in love.

Seasons of love!
Seasons of love.

Oh you got to remember the love,
You know that love is a gift from up above
Share love, give love, spread love
Measure, measure your life in love.

It's nearly a year since Zoe died. How have I measured that year? How have I measured Zoe's life? How have I measured mine? In part, I know I've counted the 'five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes', I've definitely measured it in strife. But is that all? When I look back over the last year, do I, as these HIV positive artist characters enjoin me to do, measure my life, Zoe's life and this year in love?

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