How To Destroy Angels

I don’t know if you can hear me over this
I don’t know if you can hear the sound
I don’t know if you’re aware of what’s happening
I don’t know if you should stick around
It’s arriving in a wave of violence
It’s arriving with an elegant grace
You can’t mess with the way of nature
Everything is falling into place

You know what you have done

 Welcome oblivion
And this has just begun
Welcome oblivion
All the flashing lights take over
All the pretty little dots make trails
Leading you to your place of deliverance
A little look at what’s behind the veil

Top: Mango | Shorts: Topshop | Shoes: Zara | Bag: Topshop | Floral Wreath: Anagon Collection

The title of this post is from one of the front liners and most notable performances from Coachella 2013, which I missed, but tried to keep tabs on the past two weekends. The band, How To Destroy Angels was my choice as the appropriate title to my entry as I absolutely loved their performance and the lyrics are from one for my favorite songs from their set entitled Welcome Oblivion. To give a bit of a briefer regarding the band, it is a collaboration between Nine Inch Snails Frontliner Trent Reznor and his wife Maureen Maandig and their songs have been featured in the soundtracks of movies such as The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and Limitless. I have to say, their set was mind blowing. I absolutely love the production behind it- imagine a 16 feet high LED wall which featured only the band's silhouettes as they performed.

Granted that it was Coachella weekend, I decided I wanted to dress in theme, especially since my good friend, Audrey, dictated a hipster chic outfit theme for her dog Ari's second birthday PAWTY which was a BBQ-pool and puppy party. I decided to take advantage of the occasion and dress accordingly- with my floral wreath on as my major accessory. I know, I know.. This is a bit more casual and laid back compared to the outfits I usually post but I gather that a nice break is always a great idea... and it was Coachella Weekend, I needed to represent (even if I wasn't there).

To give an update on my thoughts... the song Welcome Oblivion's lyrics made quite an impact on me, considering I can apply them to my life right now, and everything I am going through... to emphasize, these verses, especially stood out and had a major effect on me---

You can’t mess with the way of nature
Everything is falling into place
You know what you have done

 Welcome oblivion
And this has just begun
Welcome oblivion
All the flashing lights take over
All the pretty little dots make trails
Leading you to your place of deliverance

---and while I am tempted to disclose the reason as to why, I would like to believe people who have been following my blog posts could read between the lines and if you know me, you would understand why. 

At the same time, it got me thinking about reality, and taking accountability for your life. I remember this quote by Flonda Maxwell where she said, "You need to claim the events of your life to make yourself yours. When you truly possess all you have been and have done, which may take some time, you are fierce with reality." These are powerful words and I truly believe that when you stop and truly possess all you have been and done, you go on the path to becoming who you are... who you really are. 

I love the term "fierce with reality." Being "fierce with reality" requires that we break through our denial of ourselves and our lives layer by layer. At some point in our lives, we need to stop and take a thorough inventory of who we are and what we have done. This fearless and searching quest of an inventory not only focuses on the things that we have done wrong or the things we wish we had done some other way (yes, you know what I mean by this...) ---it also focuses upon our strengths and the things we have done right. 

So many of us forget that taking stock of ourselves also means recognizing what is good about us (I still believe in that there is some amount of good in every person, no matter how much they have hurt me...or how much they continue to hurt me)  and the things we appreciate and like about ourselves. After all, HONESTY is not only about the mistakes, it is also about the good, the powerful, the creative, the loving and the gentle, compassionate aspects in all of us. 

It is there, you possess these qualities and maybe taking inventory of them and remembering the good within you might just open you to becoming a better person... probably the best person you could be.

xx, JL