Take a Walk

“Honey it's your son I think I borrowed just too much
We had taxes, we had bills, we had a lifestyle of fun
And tonight I swear I'll come home and we'll make love like we're young
Then tomorrow you'll cook dinner for the neighbours and their kids
We can rip apart those socialists and all their damn taxes
But see I am no criminal
I'm down on both bad knees
I'm just too much a coward to admit when I'm in need

I took a walk

Take a walk, take a walk, take a walk”

Take a Walk – Passion Pit

On first listen to Take a Walk it’s hard to understand exactly what this song is about. I read an interesting article where Michael Angelakos, Passion Pit’s lead singer, was nervous to release this song as a single because he thought it would be interpreted as political statement. Rather, he says, Take A Walk is about three generations of his family at different and rather difficult times of their lives. After I listened to this song a few more times I begun to hear the struggles in the stories of these men. One of the stories stood out to me – it’s the story that I chose for the above excerpt of the song – and, one very specific line caught my attention over and over again:

I'm just too much a coward to admit when I'm in need

Yes, that line. Read it again.

I'm just too much a coward to admit when I'm in need

I'm just too much a coward to admit when I'm in need

This could be one of the most significant lines I have ever heard in a song. I think nearly everyone would be able to admit they have done this. They have acted like nothing is wrong in their lives because they were ashamed or afraid of the backlash they would receive, because our society still connects being in need with being weak.

I’ve done this on so many occasions I have lost count of the number of times I could have used some help. I’ll share with you the most recent time I needed help but didn’t get some. I was in San Francisco and struggling with the death of a new friend. It was a really bizarre situation, being away from home with people I hardly knew and dealing with such an emotional burden. I felt like I had no one to talk to and I wanted to be alone – but that didn’t mean that I was okay. I didn’t want to admit that I was still struggling while I watched my fellow travellers move on and enjoy their trip. I also knew that when I left San Francisco and got back to the comfort of my own home I would be fine. But there were 48 hours or so where I spend a good deal of time in the hotel room alternating crying and sleeping and feeling at a very low point of my life.

When I think back on this time, and other times I never asked for help, I guess I felt like I could handle it myself and I felt like my problem wasn’t really a big deal. But sometimes, no matter how big or small, you need someone else’s help. I wish it weren’t a thing to have to put aside your tough guy persona to ask for help, and I wish it didn’t feel like others were judging your weaknesses for admitting you have a problem. But then I think this idea is just in our own heads – that we feel like people will judge, when in reality they won’t, they will just help. And they won’t let you take the walk alone.