Arms Wide Open

Scott Stapp of Creed wrote this song for his children. He wished they would not go through the hardships he had to endure. For me, the meaning of this song changes when I meet uneducated parents during school visits. I sense their belief that education will help children gain control of their lives and put an end to their miseries. They hope that the world will welcome them with arms wide open. It makes me wonder if the purpose of education is to free us from our difficult past or is it to stem the challenges that await us in the future?

Here are few lines that challenge my perspectives:

If I had just one wish
Only one demand
I hope he’s not like me
I hope he understands
That he can take this life
And hold it by the hand
And he can greet the world
With arms wide open

They show me how hope shifts across generations.