“AMEN SONGS”: The Best of Times (Styx)

Styx’s “The Best of Times” is a song about cherishing the present moment and the relationships that bring us joy, even amidst uncertainty. With lyrics like “The best of times are when I’m alone with you” and “When people lock their doors and hide inside, rumor has it it’s the end of paradise,” the song contrasts fear and disconnection with the redemptive power of love and presence. It gently reminds us that life’s truest blessings are not found in external circumstances, but in the meaningful moments we share with others. In this way, the song powerfully aligns with our theme, “Amen – Be a Blessing,” by framing presence, gratitude, and love as the blessings we can both receive and give.

Parashat Shoftim lays the legal and ethical foundation for a just society, famously beginning with the directive: “Justice, justice shall you pursue.” It speaks of setting up righteous judges and officials, of avoiding corruption, and of governing with fairness. But Shoftim also points to the deeper goal of all this structure: to establish a society rooted in trust, dignity, and peace. While law brings order, it is the cultivation of loving, faithful relationships—like those celebrated in The Best of Times—that makes life meaningful and blessed.

The message of the song invites us not to take for granted the blessings of connection and companionship. It also urges us, especially in a world often gripped by fear or cynicism, to protect the spaces where love and joy thrive. Parashat Shoftim teaches us to build those spaces intentionally—through justice and integrity—while Styx reminds us to savor them. Together, they call us to be a blessing by standing for both justice and joy, structure and spirit, always seeking the best of times even in challenging seasons.