And the days went by like paper in the wind. Everything changed, then changed again. It's hard to find a friend. It's hard to find a friend.
Interpretation
Friendship can be elusive in a constantly changing world.
In this quote, Tom Petty reflects on the fleeting nature of time and the difficulty in maintaining meaningful relationships amidst the rapid changes of life. The metaphor of days flying like paper in the wind suggests that time escapes us quickly, making it challenging to build and hold onto friendships.
In practice
During a speech about lasting friendships at a reunion gathering.
When my record company rejected 'Full Moon Fever', I was hurt so bad. I was pretty far along in my career at that point. I'd never had anything rejected; I'd never really even had a comment. So when that happened, it was really just a board to the forehead. But then, finally, I picked myself up.
I developed a problem with authority. Any time that authority was what I interpreted as being unjust, I stood up to it, and that became my personality.
I don't know, my music has always just come from where the wind blew me. Like where I'm at during a particular moment in time.
Music really isn’t supposed to be perfect. It’s all about people relating to each other and doing something that’s really from the soul. It must come from the soul.
It's hard for me... If I don't have a project going, I don't feel like I'm connected to anything. I don't even think it's that healthy for me. I like to get out of bed and have a purpose.
I think for it to be hip to be idealistic is weird, you know? I mean, even all the best rebels to me, had some sense of hope in them.
I'd rather hang out with the losers that would sit and smoke a cigarette than the ones who wanted to throw a baseball.
It is a great folly to be willing to violate the friendship of God, rather than the law of human friendship.
Those were happier days, when there was still close friendship at times between folk of different race, even between Dwarves and Elves.' It was not the fault of the Dwarves that the friendship waned,' said Gimli. I have not heard that it was the fault of the Elves,' said Legolas. I have heard both,' said Gandalf[.]
How unspeakably the lengthening of memories in common endears our old friends!
The only friends who are free from cares are the goblet of wine and a book. Give me wine...that I may for a time forget the cares of the world.
I have loved my friends as I do virtue, my soul, my God.
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