Language is an inadequate form of communication. If you've picked up an instrument, it's because you don't feel you are communicating sufficiently.
Find the cost of freedom, buried in the ground_x000D_ Mother earth will swallow you_x000D_ Lay your body down.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the sacrifices made for freedom and the inevitability of returning to nature after death.
Stephen Stills' quote speaks to the profound cost of freedom, suggesting that true liberation often comes with significant sacrifices, sometimes culminating in death. The imagery of being 'buried in the ground' implies that the quest for freedom can lead individuals to ultimate consequences, intertwining human existence with that of 'Mother Earth', who ultimately receives everyone. This evokes a sense of humility and respect for those who laid down their lives in pursuit of freedom.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a memorial service, one could use this quote to honor those who sacrificed their lives for freedom.
More from Stephen Stills
All quotes βSpeak out. You've got to speak out against the madness
I detest talking about myself. There is a reason why people pick up an instrument and put it between themselves and the rest of the world.
It's getting to the point where I am no fun anymore, I am sorry. / Sometimes it hurts so badly I must cry out loud, ' I am lonely.' / I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are, you make it hard.
Similar quotes
The way to defeat fear: decide on a course of conduct and follow it. Keep so busy and work so hard that you forget about being afraid.
I think that nonviolence is one way of saying that there are other ways to solve problems, not only through weapons and war. Nonviolence also means the recognition that the person on one side of the trench and the person on the other side of the trench are both human beings, with the same faculties. At some point they have to begin to understand one another.
You see, all that I ever held dear has been taken from me," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "And when you've lost everything-" Her facade began to crumble, and her voice broke, but she made herself carry on. "When you've lost everything, you've got nothing to lose.
It was my duty to shoot the enemy, and I don't regret it. My regrets are for the people I couldn't save: Marines, soldiers, buddies. I'm not naive, and I don't romanticize war. The worst moments of my life have come as a SEAL. But I can stand before God with a clear conscience about doing my job.
The hate and scorn showered on us Negro officers by our fellow Americans convinced me that there was no sense in my dying for a world ruled by them. I made up my mind that if I got through this war I would study law and use my time fighting for men who could not strike back.
It is not just a person's physical constitution, their intellegence, their education, or even their social conditioning that enables them to withstand hardship. Much more significant is their inner development. And while some may be able to survive through sheer willpower, the ones who suffer the least are those who have a high degree of patience and courage in the face of adversity.