This past week my wife and I traveled south to warm up before the holidays. While being on the road I found my mind wandering in and out of all sorts of thoughts and prayers. I don’t think I’m alone in discovering that my mind operates differently when I’m not being disrupted by the noise of the world. Open road driving seems to provide a time and space for me to ponder, and to plan, but like life in general there are always unexpected wrinkles along the way, and this trip was no different in that respect.
Our first day was littered with accidents, none prayerfully that were life ending, but none the less they were there in numbers that seemed greater than usual, and which made me very aware of the rubberneckers. It was in that state that I started to think about, and pray about, the need to be curious…
The ever widening chasms between each of us seem to grow daily as we continue to establish barriers between what we call acceptable, and what we deem objectionable. In doing so I’m afraid we’re dismissing an important narrative to our happiness. The moment we start to discount our differences, is the moment we start to cheat ourselves out of the things that can make our lives richer. Our ingenuity illustrates our individuality. We’ve got it all messed up. In our quest to get on with each other, we’ve told many people to get out. Instead of drawing the world a little closer we are drawing divisional lines in the sand. We’re not closing gaps, we’re creating gaps.
When we close our ears and eyes we are missing the beauty of an extremely diverse world. A world that was created for our benefit. It was created out of love for us. All of it’s beauty and splendor was designed by our Creator, for good! So what does it say when we turn from His ideals, from what He deems good for us, from His loving vision of our lives (Ephesians 2:10)?
Diversity does not demand division.
We bridge the gaps by putting aside our differences, by opening our eyes and ears to new and different sounds and sights. When we open our mind to new ideas evolution can occur. The natural flow to a united and loving world begins with a judgement free view of life (Romans 12:16). Thankfully we don’t all lookalike, and soundalike. That would be pretty boring don’t you think? Well thinking everyone should think alike is the same thing. It’s a very narrow view of a very panoramic creation.
So I spend my days first trying to identify, and then trying to bridge these gaps. The inspiration comes from my never ending idealistic dream of a loving united world. One that cares for others more than themselves. One that truly finds more satisfaction in the act of giving than in receiving (2 Corinthians 9:7). A world that differs a great deal from the one I currently seem to live in.
My platform for such change has always been music. I find enormous joy in touching the hearts of others through poetry and song. A tough message can be much easier on the ear when it’s riding the the crest of a memorable melody. or being propelled along by an irresistible rhythm.
Come, let us walk together Come. let us walk hand in hand Cone, let speak with one voice Come, let us walk in the light of love ~ E.M. (‘Come. Let Us Walk’)
My plea is one of compassion. If we start with a loving approach to our differences I believe that we would see and hear things with a new found appreciation. I invite you to join me in opening up a new world of inspiration. Pray for a cleansing view of the world. Ask God for new ears and eyes that would lovingly see and hear the beauty of diversity. That fresh mindset will bridge gaps both small and large over a period of time. A period of time when we can draw closer as friends and families… as our Creator intended.
I really enjoy writing as a way to serve creation. I find myself almost daily moved to share the beauty and diversity that’s on display. For me, the satisfaction is in the communication, the entertaining, lifting or enlightening possibility… if only just for a moment.
I wake each day feeling blessed. When I take an honest look at my life I see providence. My life is a web, one thread after another, of fortunate occurrences that I have had nothing to do with. Mind you I do have free will and have had to make decisions throughout my journey, but the overriding opportunities seem to have the fingerprints of another.
And so yes I often feel blessed. Yeah, it rains from time to time, but even the occasional darkness always gives way to light sooner or later, and the underlying fact is that each day is beautiful in it’s own way, and there lies the blessing.
Write about a random act of kindness you’ve done for someone.
One of my favorite acts of kindness is to purchase happy meals for the homeless. Providing some nourishment and catching the smile is priceless. If there’s a problem, it’s that I don’t act on it enough.
I saw a shirtless boy with a bag of donuts Watching the sun come up As I passed him by between his next mouthful He smiled and asked wassup? I could see on his face the innocence behind his tired eyes I could hear in his voice the embarrassment beneath the worn out lies What I do, what I do What I do, what I do What I do, what I do What I do, what I do is immeasurable ~ E.M.
What traditions have you not kept that your parents had?
Now that I think about it, I don’t think that I’ve dismissed any of my parents traditions… and that makes me smile. You would have thought that I’d have discounted at least a few, but that’s not the case. Then again I’m really big on passing along culture.
Silhouettes sprinkle the horizon As geese flock down below Children observe as they gather It’s the only world that they know ~ E.M.
Today was not typical as I had some dental work to be done. There’s nothing like a dentist appointment to put a wrinkle in your perfect day. Over the years I’ve adopted a line of thinking where I focus my attention on what I’m going to do after the disruptive wrinkles, instead of the wrinkles themselves. It seems to work for me, and it helps me keep things in perspective.
A combination of things brought this song to life rather quickly. It was a year ago February (Black History Month), when I was inspired by the poem, ‘As I Grew Older‘ by Langston Hughes. The softening of time touched a nerve within me and I felt the need to comment on it, and so I did.
Musically as 2022 arrived I had been taking a deep dive into the organ trio Blicher, Hemmer, Gadd and their album, ‘Omara.’ Recalling a season quite a way back where I played 300 some dates in an organ trio, this arrangement became an outcome of the many smoke filled nights from that different world. I truly believe that when we write, perform, and listen to music it seeps deep into our soul and often needs some time to brew down there before creatively rising up in a new form.
The studio process was seamless, it really was uneventful other than my rather large grin that continued to grow through the sessions. There’s no excess on the whole Trio project, just the essentials.
I should add as a clarification that I included the DR in the title, ‘The DReam’ to honor Dr. Martin Luther King.
Lyrics: A long, long time ago So long ago I’ve forgotten A notion filled my mind A dream divinely begotten But suddenly a distance appeared Vanquished, the dream disappeared
A long, long shadow Grew ever longer every day In the darkness I struggled Contentious in my way But nothing by chance impressed The dream dimmed and was suppressed
My credence, my steadfast credence Strengthened my enchanted moonbeam My journey will not be abandoned Providence will shelter the dream
A long, long tomorrow As long as the aim can see Good fortune will indwell me I’ve been reassured lovingly That in the cards works a love supreme A love that’ll ascertain the dream
We are by nature creative beings. We’re wired to be imaginative, to be innovative, and to be resourceful. Regardless of what we do for a living, we’ll do it better if we’re thinking as a visionary.
The title of this song was inspired by a random magazine article entitled For the Love of Vinyl, It grabbed my attention immediately and I found the lyric to be an easier than usual creation.
I had just read an inspiring Rich Kirkpatrick blog on our need be creative so I found myself within the creative flow very quickly.
We are created in the image of our Creator… so dare to be a dreamer.
Lyrics: Life is a bohemial existence With a disregarding tenet or two With non-conventional thoughts and reason And behavior that some might misconstrue
Life is a juvenescent sandbox Where building roams beyond confines Where boundless minds can wander Coloring where there are no lines
Welcome to the splintered aggregation Where odd resolve to get even Curious for the love of art And the courage to brave the unbelievin’
Life is a poetic string of ramblings Written in the margins of the day Multicolored snap-shots in couplets A work of acrobatic wordplay
Life is a whimsical pallet Daring you to conjure the extreme Releasing your inherent rhapsody For the love of art must venture to dream
For the love of art; write the unspoken For the love of art; paint the unseen For the love of art; voice the unheard For the love of art
Works 