My Worst Habit
Philip Glass Lyrics


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My worst habit I get so tired of winter.

I became a torture to those I'm with.
If you're not here, nothing grows.
I lack clarity.
My words wrangle and knot up.

How to cure bad water?
Send it back to the river.
How to cure bad habits?
Send me back to you.

When water gets caught in habitual whirlpools,
Dig a way out through the bottom of the ocean.
There is a secret medicine given only to those
Who hurt so hard they can't hope.
The hopers would feel slighted if they knew.

Look as long as you can at the friend you love,




No matter whether that friend is moving away from you
Or coming back towards you.

Overall Meaning

Philip Glass's song My Worst Habit is a song that explores the psyche of someone who is grappling with depression and addiction. This person is consumed by their worst habit, which is the depression that makes them feel tired and hopeless, particularly during the winter months. They admit that their behavior negatively impacts those around them and that they lack clarity when trying to communicate. The person seems to be seeking a solution to cure their bad habits, much like how bad water needs to be sent back to the river for purification. In this person's case, they believe that the cure for their bad habits lies in being reunited with a loved one.


The lyrics continue by suggesting that when someone becomes trapped in a vicious cycle of depression and addiction, it can feel like being caught in a whirlpool. To escape this cycle, one must dig deep, like digging a way out through the bottom of the ocean. This suggests that the solution is not an easy one, and it requires significant effort and determination. However, the person reassures the listener that there is a secret medicine that can heal those who hurt so hard they can't hope. This medicine is reserved only for those who have hit rock bottom and are desperately seeking a way out.


The final lines of the song urge the listener to look long and hard at the friend they love, regardless of whether that friend is moving away or coming closer. This line suggests that in the face of depression and addiction, the love and support of a friend can mean the difference between sinking into a despairing cycle and finding a way out.


Line by Line Meaning

My worst habit I get so tired of winter.
I have a habit of complaining about winter and it affects my mood negatively.


I became a torture to those I'm with.
My negative attitude is causing discomfort and pain to the people I am with.


If you're not here, nothing grows.
Your presence is essential in my life, without you everything seems dull and lifeless.


I lack clarity.
I am not able to think clearly and organize my thoughts.


My words wrangle and knot up.
I struggle to express myself clearly and my words become jumbled and tangled.


How to cure bad water?
How can we purify contaminated water?


Send it back to the river.
One way to purify water is to let it return to its natural source.


How to cure bad habits?
What is the solution for breaking bad habits?


Send me back to you.
Being with you can help me overcome my bad habits.


When water gets caught in habitual whirlpools,
Sometimes we get stuck in negative patterns of behavior, like a vortex or whirlpool.


Dig a way out through the bottom of the ocean.
We need to go to the depths of our being to find a way out of these negative patterns.


There is a secret medicine given only to those
There is a remedy that is only available to people who have experienced deep pain and suffering.


Who hurt so hard they can't hope.
This medicine is for those who are in such a state of despair that they cannot see a way out of their pain.


The hopers would feel slighted if they knew.
People who have not experienced intense pain and suffering may not understand the profound healing power of this secret medicine.


Look as long as you can at the friend you love,
We should cherish and appreciate the people we love while we have them in our lives.


No matter whether that friend is moving away from you
Even if our loved ones are physically distant or drifting away from us, we should still hold them close in our hearts.


Or coming back towards you.
And when they return, we should welcome them with open arms and a grateful heart.




Contributed by Caleb K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Alan Bleier


on Kuru Field of Justice

I couldn't find them anywhere on the internet, so I'm posting them here:
(they are simply passages of the bhagavad-gita)

GHANDI:

yotsyamanan avekse 'ham ya ete 'tra samagatah
dhartarastrasya durbuddher yuddhe priya-cikirsavah

evam ukto hrsikeso gudakesena bharata
senayor ubhayor madhye sthapayitva rathottamam

(kirpaya parayavisto visidann idam abravit)

ARJUNA:

karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah
prcchami tvam dharma-sammudha-ceta

yac chreyah syan niscitam bruhi tan me
sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam

(kirpaya parayavisto visidann idam abravit)

KRISHNA:

atha cet tvam imam dharmyam sangramam na karisyasi
tatah sva-dharmam kirtim ca hitva papam avapsyasi

hato va prapsyasi svargam jitva va bhosyase mahim
tasmad uttistha kaunteya yuddhaya krta-niscayah

sukha-duhkhe same krtva labhalabhau jayajayau
tato yuddhaya yujyasva naivam papam avapsyasi

CHORUS:

tam tatha krpayavistam asru-purnakuleksanam
visidantam idam vakyam uvaca madhusudanah

kutas tva kasmalam idam visame samupasthitam
anarya-justam asvargyam ¡akirti-karam arjuna!

GHANDI:

sukha-duhkhe same krtva labhalabhau jayajayau
tato yuddhaya yujyasva naivam papam avapsyasi

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