Take a look at the song "Life" by Our Lady Peace

Or check out the music video: http://www.ourladypeace.com/LifeFullVideo/LifeVidFull.ram

How many times have you been pushed around?
Was anybody there?
Does anybody care?
How many times have your friends let you down?
Was anybody there?
Did anybody stare?

How many times have your friends let you down?
Just open up your heart
Just open up your mind
How many times has your faith slipped away?
Well, is anybody safe?
Does anybody pray?

Oh, Life is waiting for you
So messed up, but we're alive
Oh, Life is waiting for you
So messed up, but we'll survive

How many days have you just slept away?
Is everybody high?
Is everyone afraid?
How many times have you wished you were strong?
Have they ever seen your heart?
Have they ever seen your pain?

Oh, Life is waiting for you
So messed up, but we're alive
Oh, Life is waiting for you
So messed up, but we'll survive

She gets high
She gets lost
She gets drowned by the cost
Twice a day, every week, not a lie

She gets high
She gets lost
She gets drowned by the cost
Twice a day, every week, not a lie

Oh, Life is waiting for you
So messed up, but we're alive
Oh, Life is waiting for you
So messed up, but we'll survive
All messed up, but we'll survive

To many of us, I think especially teenagers; the thought of being "On Our Own" is a relatively appealing one. Many times we feel we need no one but ourselves to get through life and that we can face any problem thrown our way alone.

The song "Life" by Our Lady Peace shows us how things can get messed up when we try to get by depending solely on ourselves: we can depend too much on friends and family and be let down when they cannot meet our high expectations, we can get too busy for God and for prayer, working on other things (jobs, school, sports) and have our faith "slip away", and we can start to believe that we should be the person that others want us to be, rather than the person that God calls us to be. This can lead to feeling "lost" and maybe looking to other things than God to feel better (drugs, alcohol, shopping?), but only resulting in a downward spiral.

God never intended for us to be "On Our Own"; to think we can get through things alone and in the end only feel dejected. God wants us to depend on him when we think we can do it on our own, as well as when we know we need help. Ephesians 6:18 reads, "And in the Spirit, on all occasions, pray with all kinds of prayers and requests."

Invite God to be with you in your daily life, and in the decisions that you make. In what ways could you better the time that you spend with God (ie. music, daily devotions, a journal)? Take time to thank God for wanting to be with us always and for helping us to not be "On Our Own".

(Drew Dodington is 16 and from Waterloo Ontario.)