Moon glow from our front yard. Taken at about 5:30 am.

Ever since I picked up running as a hobby (sometime around 2017, I think), I’ve associated seasons of runs with specific songs.

The song of this summer has been “Wondering Where the Lions Are” by Bruce Cockburn. It’s one of those songs that I heard at some point during childhood or young adulthood and I already knew all the words to but never paused to really listen to it. I don’t know if it’s the rhythmic reggae beat or that despite all my researching I can’t find a definitive answer to what the song is about, but for some reason, it’s sounded extra good these past few months. I can’t get over how wonderful the lyrics are…

I had another dream about lions at the door
They weren't half as frightening as they were before
But i'm thinking about eternity
Some kind of ecstasy got a hold on me.

Walls windows trees, waves coming through
You be in me and i'll be in you
Together in eternity
Some kind of ecstasy got a hold on me

Some writers have suggested the song might be about how it can be overwhelming to really examine what life is. Others say it’s political. After several months of running to the song (along with a few other new favorites), I can’t make up my mind about it either. Maybe Cockburn is highlighting the contrast between noticing all the beauty in the world while also wondering where its pitfalls lie. Always “wondering where the lions are.”

Either way, whatever this song is about, it makes for a great backdrop to waking up before the sun to spend some time running.