"Run Away To Mars" by Bodhi Smith

Oct 13, 2023

 
my story's in a song
but where do i belong?
what if i run away to mars?
would she see me in the stars?
looking up into the night sky,
would she give a huge sigh?
nod, smile and blow a kiss
because it's me she'll miss?
 
MY THOUGHTS
Sometimes you just need to get away from everything. To me, it's not running away from your problems, it's  more like running to face them in a different place and light  ― Bodhi, Run Away To Mars
 
The remote Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness of the Bisti Badlands in northwestern New Mexico is otherworldly and hosts some of the most unique hoodoo rock formations on planet Earth. And under a glowing Milky Way and canopy of radiant stars, sits the eerily beautiful Alien Thrown with the planet Mars peaking through its upper left portal, adding a supernatural mood to the feeling that this scene is not of this earth and instead from another planet entirely...
 
And I'm here with my pup, Besos. He's loving spending time with me in this wild and remote place that resembles a Martian landscape literally in the middle of nowhere. We're on another one of our many adventures together, feeling free and alive in this rugged environment navigating our way in the darkness of the night, trusting in only the Milky Way and GPS to guide us where we want to be. But in reality, what's most important is sharing time with each other, anywhere together is where we both truly want to be... 
 
When I'm out in the middle of nowhere, in the wilderness under the stars,and it's just me and my doggie, I'm just about as content as I can be  ― Bodhi, Run Away To Mars
 
I love getting out into the wilderness with my doggie, and experiencing wonderful and breathtaking things together, gorgeous sights and beautiful curiosities which most people will never be able see in their lifetime. The hikes are extravagant, and combined with fascinating landscapes, the stars, photography, and my pup, I'm in my element where I want to exist...what more could I possibly need?
 
Well, one thing comes to mind occasionally...because there's still yet that missing piece in my life at times. The feeling comes and goes, but when it comes, I can really feel the ache of the void in my heart. Sometimes I'm super happy being without a lady in my life. I'm free to travel the world at my whim and take pictures of enchanting places and share them with others so they too can also experience my adventures vicariously as well. I have my doggie at my side 24/7, and I have a stellar group of friends both far and near...many scattered in Ohio, Florida, Nevada, Maine, New York, Washington, as well a couple very close friends surrounding me in Southern California, dearest souls I can be with any time I want....
 
Sometimes we have to run away from ourselves in order to find the person we want to be...and, sometimes we must run away from where we are, in order to find the path to where that person needs to be  ― Bodhi, Run Away To Mars
 
However, at times when I'm alone, I do get lonely. Because alas, there's that missing piece creating a void of longing for the soft gentle touch of another--a lady, sweetheart, lover, baby, honey, amiga, pumpkin in my life. I've no girlfriend to hold hands, kiss, be intimate, and wake up next to each other in bed every morning together...My pup Besos fills in a huge part in my life, but regrettably the sensual role and touch of a female he cannot do... 
 
So the loneliness sometimes overwhelms me, not often, but sometimes...It's these times when I really focus on my photography and writing--both are forms of therapy for me. When I'm desperately yearning for the touch of a lady, I get transfixed in my art while I'm visiting captivating places brimming with awe, places that are like being on another planet (like here in my picture).
 
It seems to me, sometimes we have to run away from ourselves in order to find the person we want to be--and--sometimes we must run away from where we are in order to find the path to where that person needs to be. Sometimes you need to just get away from everything. To me, it's not running away from your problems, it's more like running to face them in a different place and light...
 
My momma always said you gotta put the past behind you before you can move on. And I think that's what my running was all about ― Winston Groom, Forrest Gump
 
One of my favorite films of all-time, the Academy Award winning Forrest Gump (Best Picture 1995), is about a simple man with simple dreams (and Intellectual Disability Disorder (IDD)). He uses running as his main form of therapy. He runs and runs, and runs...but Forrest is not running away from his problems, he is just running to disappear for a while, so he can sort through his problems in his mind, in his own time...Forrest keeps on running until he finds himself where he is meant to be...another beautiful metaphor to live and follow in our own life...
 
There are so many things that can lead us where we need to run, where we need to be, both metaphorically and in actuality...but so many of us think we're already there, when we truly are not yet..it takes nature and pure beauty in our little worlds, mixed with deep love, and a touch of the angelic spirituality halo, to truly help us realize a peaceful reckoning...and this opening of our eyes into our heart and souls takes us towards that beautiful place in our lives where we need to run to belong one day...
 
However, still, when I'm feeling down and lonely, it makes me wonder if anyone besides my doggie would really miss me if I escaped to a far-far-away place---what if I Run Away To Mars--would they see me up there in the stars?
 
she's there with me
in all i see
forever eternity

all that's me
all that i'll ever be
floats in a future memory

her eyes awaken, i see
setting daylight free
in both her and me 
 
 
Released in late 2022, this first tune is simply a beautiful ditty by a Canadian Singer-Songwriter and one that goes perfectly in parallel meanings to accompany my image and blog, and especially so because it also sports the same title as my photo today.  "Run Away To Mars" by Nicholas Durocher (Talk). This song is all about feeling isolated, unappreciated, and unnecessary. The lyrics focus on how loneliness causes us to wonder what the impact would be if we disappeared. In addition, this song manages to touch on how these dark feelings are made worse if they are suffered alone, creating a vicious cycle...  "Run Away To Mars" by Nicholas Durocher (Talk). ... (just click on the blue links to listen to any of the songs)

Your color's fading
'Cause I kept you waiting
It's a wild, wild world
And you're a wild, wild girl
Our sun's still shining
But it seems half the size
And it's a wild, wild world out here
Before my time runs out
What If I run away to Mars?
Would you find me in the stars?
Would you miss me in the end
If I run out of oxygen?
When I run away to Mars
I can't tell which way is home
I've been gone for so long
It's an empty world up here
I skip stones and wonder
How long 'til I'm discovered
It's a quiet life up here
Before my time runs out
What If I run away to Mars?
Would you find me in the stars?
Would you miss me in the end
If I run out of oxygen?
When I run away to Mars
Three, two, one, I miss you
I'm sorry, I got issues
What If I run away to Mars?
Would you find me in the stars?
Would you miss me in the end
If I run out of oxygen?
When I run away to Mars
 
 
Here is an online article by Melody Insight about singer song-writer Nicholas Durocher, a.k.a. Talk... https://melodyinsight.com/talk-run-away-to-mars-lyrics-meaning
 
“Run Away To Mars” Lyrics Meaning
TALK wrote "Run Away To Mars" late at night after watching Interstellar. The sense of cosmic loneliness in the film combined with his own trajectory in life at that time (especially due to the COVID pandemic) inspired him, and the idea was fully there almost instantly.

In this article, we’ll perform an analysis of these goosebump-inducing lyrics to discover their intended meaning. We’ll also take a look at the story behind the song and the human themes that make it impactful to so many. Without further ado, let’s get started!

The first verse shows us that our narrator, TALK, has withdrawn from people he loves. This was due, in part, to the COVID pandemic that was going on when the song was written. It’s nobody’s fault, but it’s painful. For example, he tells an unnamed girl, “Your color’s fading, ‘cause I kept you waiting,” indicating that the warmth has died down.

I use that last turn of phrase deliberately, because the next line talks about the sun. TALK notes that it’s “still shining,” although it “seems half the size.” His perspective has become dreary, and he’s destabilized by the “wild, wild world” he sees around him.

It’s no surprise that this happened – after all, the song came out of his parents’ basement after years of failure in the music industry. This is why TALK wants to deliver his message before his “time runs out.” He feels the pressure to succeed but is seeing no results.

Nonetheless, he pours his heart out in the chorus. Like many depressed people, he imagines his own disappearance from the lives of everyone around him. If he were to “run away to Mars,” who would come “find” him? If he were to “run out of oxygen,” who would miss him?

These lyrics speak of a profound loneliness, and the space theme physically represents the distance TALK felt between himself and the world. In addition, the greater the distance felt, the more intense the suffering becomes. Problems cause isolation; isolation causes problems. Verse two continues this idea.

In it, TALK admits he “can’t tell which way’s home.” He’s become so psychologically adrift that he can’t identify any escape. He wonders, “How long til’ I’m discovered?” due to the lack of commercial success I mentioned earlier. These are all pieces of a very gloomy puzzle; he doesn’t want the “quiet life” he has.

The last new section of lyrics is the bridge, which is brief and direct. He tells his loved ones, “I miss you,” and blames their separation on his own “issues.” This is the last nail in the coffin, so to speak; he doesn’t even resent the world that has made him feel so lonely. Instead, he blames himself and his own inadequacies.

In summary, “Run Away To Mars” is a vivid representation of a distinctly modern form of loneliness. Modern problems require modern solutions, so it’s no wonder the song reached the heights of viral success that it did.

The Story Behind “Run Away To Mars”
Picture this: You’re a gregarious creative who’s been trying to get discovered for years with no success. You’ve tried your hand at everything (even playing bass in a country band), but nothing seems to work. Next, the COVID pandemic hits as you’ve been forced to move into your parents’ basement. How do you feel?

Add another layer on – you’ve just watched Interstellar (one of the saddest, most profound films ever made) and it’s 2:00 in the morning. Frankly, if it were me, my primary options would be to go jump off a bridge or do something creative!

That’s exactly the situation TALK found himself in before he wrote “Run Away To Mars.” Thankfully, he chose the second option! As he put it, the song came “from a lot of loneliness.” Interestingly, he had almost the entirety of the song within 15-20 minutes, making this a case of genuine inspiration.

By taking his personal emotions and combining them with the space themes in Interstellar, TALK was able to engineer a solution to his problems – and an enjoyable hit for the public.

“Run Away To Mars” has gone absolutely viral, with nearly 10 million views on YouTube alone. The song definitely put TALK on the map as well. Just two weeks ago, he announced an upcoming tour of Europe!

(online article by Melody Insight about singer song-writer Nicholas Durocher
https://melodyinsight.com/talk-run-away-to-mars-lyrics-meaning)

 
And since I almost entitled this impression today “Edge of the Earth”, and given there's a song of the same title released almost 22 years ago in 2002 by a band with "Mars" in their name, I feel it’s another perfect tune in which to include within my blog today…
 
"Edge of the Earth" by Thirty Seconds To Mars. is an epic and uplifting anthem that celebrates the power of human will and determination. The song’s lyrics speak to the idea that, no matter how difficult the journey may be, it is always possible to find the strength to keep going. The track features an energetic and driving beat, with soaring guitars and Leto’s soaring vocals adding to the sense of urgency and passion. The original music video for "Edge of the Earth" original video by Thirty Seconds To Mars. features stunning footage of the band performing in various breathtaking natural locations, emphasizing the song’s themes of adventure and exploration...
 
You know enough to know the way
Six billion people just one name
(I found)
I found tomorrow in today
Apocalyptic and insane, my dreams will never change
You wanna be the one in control
You wanna be the one who's alive
You wanna be the one who gets old
It's not a matter of luck, it's just a matter of time
Stand out on the edge of the earth
Stand out on the edge of the earth
Dive into the center of fate
Walk right in the sight of the gun
Look into this new future's face
I know you know enough to say
I know you know enough to play the game
You wanna be the one in control
You wanna be the one who's alive
You wanna be the one who gets old
It's not a matter of luck, it's just a matter of time
Stand out on the edge of the earth
Dive into the center of fate
Walk right in the sight of the gun
Look into this new future's face
Stand out on the edge of the earth
Dive into the center of fate
Walk right in the sight of the gun
Look into this new future's face
Stand out on the edge of the earth
Stand out on the edge of the earth
Stand out on the edge of the earth
(Look into the new future's face)
Stand out on the edge of the earth
Dive into the center of fate
Walk right in the sight of the gun (Walk right in the sight of the gun)
Look into this new future's face
 
 
 
SOME MORE APROPOS  QUOTES
Don’t run away from things that are unpleasant in order to embrace things that are pleasant. Put your hands in the earth. Face the difficulties and grow new happiness ― Gautama Siddhartha Buddha, Sayings of Buddha
 
But let me tell you this: sometimes at night, when I look up at the stars, and see the whole sky just laid out there, don't you think I ain't remembering it all. I still have dreams like anybody else, and ever so often, I am thinking about how things might have been. And then, all of a sudden, I'm forty, fifty, sixty years old, you know? Well, so what? I may be a idiot, but most of the time, anyway, I tried to do the right thing--and dreams are just dreams, ain't they? So whatever else has happened, I am figgerin this: I can always look back and say, at least I ain't led no humdrum life. You know what I mean? ― Winston Groom, Forrest Gump
 
(Momma) Death is just a part of life, something we're all destined to do...I happen to believe that you make your own destiny, you have to do the best with what God gave you. 
(Forrest) What's my destiny momma? 
(Momma) You're gonna have to figure that out yourself...life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get ― Winston Groom, Forrest Gump
 
I don't know if Momma was right, that we each have a destiny, or if it was Lieutenant Dan, that we are all just floating around, accidental, like on a breeze. But I think...I think, maybe it's both happening at the same time ― Winston Groom, Forrest Gump
 
That day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run. So I ran to the end of the road. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd run to the end of the town. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd just run across Greenbow County. And then I figured, since I've run this far, maybe I'd just run across the great state of Alabama. And that's what I did. I ran clear across Alabama. For no particular reason I just kept on going'. I ran clear to the ocean. And when I got there, I figured, since I'd gone this far, I might as well turn around, just keep on runnin'. When I got to another ocean, I figured, since I'd run this far, I might as well just turn back, keep right on going'. When I got tired, I slept. When I got hungry, I ate. When i had to go, you know, I went...when it was all said and done, I had run for 3 years, 2 months, 14 days, and 16 hours ― Winston Groom, Forrest Gump 
  
Many of us spend our whole lives running from feeling love with the mistaken belief that you can not bear the pain of loss. But you have already borne the pain. What you have not done is feel all you are, beyond that pain ― Khalil Gibran, The Prophet
 
So that's the ghost you been running from...you know, the ghost, the memory. I've been watchin' you, workin' day and night, slavin' so hard you barely breathe. people do that for three reasons. Either they're crazy, or stupid, or tryin' to forget. And with you, I knew you were tryin' to forget ― Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook
 
He may pretend to be running after wisdom, understanding, or enlightenment, but none of that matters. Whatever he achieves will be incomplete if he fails to find his soulmate ― Paulo Coelho, Warrior of the Light
 
We only accept a truth after we have first wholeheartedly rejected it; we mustn't run away from our own destiny; the hand of God is firm, but infinitely generous ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
 
Find me under the Milky Way, soul bare and heart open. Let me swim in your spirit past the sentry of time and space that stands in the way and let me love you...pull away the unworthiness etched upon your shores by those too blind to see your value and let me breathe you into the depths of myself in appreciation of all that you are. Show me your solitude as I show you mine; all the parts that ache and yearn for more. Let me see the facets of you longing to be traced by understanding hands full of reverence. You have the taste of my destiny on your lips and an essence that has swam in my blood since time began; a compass that navigated me wordlessly like a north star back to a safe harbor. You, the home of the soul I longed a lifetime for, the lyrics to a melody I hummed before learning all of your words...wishing only that I could give you my eyes so that you could see your own brilliant unfolding and witness your landscape that has to me become so precious. You, who comprehend the foreign language I speak that fell on deaf ears for an eternity, it’s tongues finally heard fully quenching my parched and misunderstood soil that once stood solitary and barren against the tides...planting 1000 kisses upon your naked heart in worship and in awe of your existence in this universe, I am replete with joy. If a million stars fell from the skies whispering their wishful promises into my open ear, not a single one would I entreat to change a single layer of you. Let us stretch our fingers towards eternity together wrapped around dreams and laughter, souls bare and hearts open ― C. Ara Campbell, Soul Bare and Heart Open (with additions by Bodhi)
 
"Night air, good conversation, and a sky full of stars can heal almost any wound" ― Beau Taplin, Remedy  
 
The intellectual is always showing off;
the lover is always getting lost.
The intellectual runs away, afraid of drowning;
the whole business of love is to drown in the sea.
Intellectuals plan their repose;
lovers are ashamed to rest.
The lover is always alone,
even surrounded with people;
like water and oil, he remains apart.
The man who goes to the trouble
of giving advice to a lover
gets nothing. He’s mocked by passion.
Love is like musk. It attracts attention.
Love is a tree, and lovers are its shade.
 
How long will you keep running away
from yourself?
In the end,
the thing will happen anyway.
Just go in the direction
where there is no direction.
Go, search there

In the slaughterhouse of love, they kill only the best, none of the weak or deformed. Don't run away to the stars from this dying. Whoever's not killed for love is dead meat ― Jalaluddin Rumi, Poems of Ecstasy and Longing
 
Each moment from all sides rushes to us the call to love. We are running to contemplate love's vast green field. do you want to come with us? ― Jalaluddin Rumi, In the Arms of the Beloved
 
Run from what's comfortable. forget safety. Live where you fear to live. Destroy your reputation. Be notorious. I have tried prudent planning long enough. From now on I'll be mad" ― Jalaluddin Rumi, The Soul of Rumi
 
No matter how fast you run, your shadow more than keeps up. sometimes, it’s in front! ― Jalaluddin Rumi, The Essential Rumi 
 
Your heart knows the way. run away in that direction ― Jalaluddin Rumi, Whispers of the Beloved 
 
Life's waters flow from darkness. Search the darkness, Don't run from it ― Jalaluddin Rumi, Hush Don't Say Anything to God 
 
 
 
SPECIFICS ABOUT THIS PHOTO
I love getting out into the wilderness with my doggie, and experiencing wonderful and breathtaking things together which most people will never see in their lifetime. The hikes are extravagant, and combined with fascinating sights, the stars, photography, and my pup, I'm in my element where I want to exist...what more could I possibly need?  ― Bodhi, Run Away To Mars
 
In order to create my vision, two separate exposures were merged and blended into creating this composition...
 
In my photography, I always use filters to create longer exposure effects, saturate colors naturally, and balance the light in my composition in-camera...I often use as many as four filters at time, and I always use at least one filter in my completed impressions...
 
And to get the effects and balance I was looking for in this composition, I used two ProgreyUSA Filters. along with the ProgreyUSA G-120Z Antarctic Magnetic Holder. to secure these filters to my Nikon D850 with a Nikon Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 prime lens. ... 
 
Camera settings for Stars: 
ISO-1600, 24mm at f/1.4 for 13 seconds using no filters. Image taken about 10:07pm MST on July 11th, 2023
 
Camera Settings for The Alien Thrown & Badlands: 
ISO-64, 24mm at f/11 for 111 seconds using one ProgreyUSA 0.9GND Aurora Filter. to bring down the sky 3 stops.along with a ProgreyUSA 3.0ND Antarctic Magnetic Filter. to stop down the image 10 stops and permit for the longer 111 second exposure which helps to soften the sky (easier for blending it with stars) and to naturally saturate all of the earthly hues in the picture...Image taken about 30 minutes before sunset at 8:02pm MST on July 11, 2023...
 
I wish to openly thank my sponsors who have always supported me through both the good and bad times...for truly this long exposure impression would not be possible without the use of my Induro PHQ3 Series 5-way Panhead with an Induro (now Benro) Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod. in combination with the ProgreyUSA Filters. which I use with every photo I take...
 
contemplate without thinking. be certain only in your uncertainty, content to be completely incomplete. stop the rush. slow down time. breathe and notice. slow down everything. let it all be. shut off the noise. hush. relax. seize this higher moment. reconnect. feel and sense what surrounds you. listen to all the colours of light whisper as they envelope you. see the melody and harmony that float about unnoticed. taste the solitude of all this wonderment. smell the beautiful silence. now discover your peaceful serenity. then, reach out and touch your faith with all your senses. this is my world. awaken! ― bodhi, my world
 
you were blessed with 84,600 seconds today, have you used one of them to say thank you? ― bodhi, blessed
 
I leave you today wishing that bright joy 
and spiritual peace fill your life...
imploring you to make every moment count, 
no matter what, always and forever, 
for that is the only thing that truly matters... 
 
And above all else,
I hope this message and impression find you well.
 
Namaste,
Bodhi
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