My Gen X Playlist: Perfect – The Smashing Pumpkins

Episode 8 is the final episode of Ripple. A final quote and a song.

It’s a curious thing, this idea of timing. We move in and out of each other’s lives. Sometimes by choice, and sometimes you don’t get to choose. We may never know or understand why.

This quote made me think of a few things.

First, I thought about a comment received from a few kind readers on this blog. Friends fall into three categories: Friends for a reason, friends for a season and friends for life. I like these separate buckets, metered in time but not significance. Not everyone is destined to be a friend for life and that’s OK. It doesn’t diminish the friendship nor their impact. When I think about these different buckets, it eases the sense of obligation and level sets expectations. Seasons. Reasons. Life.

This also made me think of a passage I once read about avoiding being the antagonist in someone else’s story. I know sometimes it can’t be helped, especially if someone is a complete a-hole all the time. And it’s easy to rationalize that it’s only for a moment, so we’re really not a true villain in their story. And maybe that’s true, I can’t say for sure. Yet I recognize there are times when we do have a choice and many times choosing not to be the antagonist can be the most difficult option. Maybe as we move in and out of peoples life, we sometimes pause and give it some thought. It’s something good to aspire to.

And finally, the quote made me think about the butterfly effect. Simple moments setting off a chain of events that lead to bigger things. There is a romance to this idea that I like. The trick is to do our part to bring on positive change. It certainly can cut both ways.

That last paragraph made me think about an album with butterfly cover art. I couldn’t remember the band so I had to sift through my CDs. I found it. It was from The Butterfly Album by House of Love.

Butterfly rabbit holes then took me to the Smashing Pumpkins’ Bullet with Butterfly Wings, but the tone of the song didn’t match the post, plus I’d already added that to the playlist. So I scratched my Pumpkins’ itch with Perfect. This song had the feel of a special someone meandering in and out of Corgan’s life. Maybe not the best fit at first with possibilities of a perfect fit later. I’m left unsure if this is a reason, season or lifetime, but not left without hope.

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

I know we're just like old friends
We just can't pretend
That lovers make amends
We are reasons so unreal
We can't help but feel that something has been lost

But please you know you're just like me
Next time I promise we'll be
Perfect
Perfect
Perfect strangers down the line
Lovers out of time
Memories unwind

So far I still know who you are
But now I wonder who I was...

Angel, you know it's not the end
We'll always be good friends
The letters have been sent on

So please, you always were so free
You'll see, I promise we'll be
Perfect
Perfect strangers when we meet
Strangers on the street
Lovers while we sleep