Your Superhero Strength Is Music
Hello Crazybravers:
Today I was slotted to talk about the three voices of Barbra Streisand, Sam Smith and Ariana Grande, but my spirit had other ideas.
I am gearing up for what feels like a life changing event. A few weeks from now, I will be going under the surgeon’s knife to get a spankin’ new hip (left hip to be specific). I call it my hip-hop surgery since I choose to keep it real by connecting all future difficulties to some musical reference – makes me feel better somehow. I’ve given up the ghost, so to speak, made my peace with it all and am ready to walk, or even run, into a bright and productive 2018. My hip is my new crown jewel, measuring the closing of one chapter of my life as I move into another. I’ve been feeling the energy of new things coming for a while now, a mystery that only life can offer and the timing seems optimal.
In a separate, but connected event, on Friday night my husband and I were eating dinner at our favorite greasy spoon restaurant when we dived into some heavy conversation about an event that had happened that day. Two young men, whom we had not seen for many years, unexpectedly dropped by our studios. They were once very troubled kids enrolled in our non-profit music program RYTMO.ORG and they wanted to stop by and say "Hi". Right on cue, my bright, beautiful husband greeted them with open arms as they poured out old memories about how the program had changed their lives for the better. Across the studio in another tracking room, was a recent RYTMO grad - a troubled kid who was in the process of laying down some vocal tracks. What happened next was a thing of beauty. After introductions, the two young men began to ask the kid questions as they enthusiastically shared their journey. The talked about how they had mistakenly bought into the lie that getting high was synonymous with creating good music; and how good people had helped them re-direct their energies toward what matters. The young kid listened intently and shared his troubles too. They hugged it out at the end, exchanged numbers and vowed to work together on some new music soon.
Dear Crazybravers: Remember that your superhero strength is MUSIC and it is vitally important in your life. Your music will build community, help to save people from themselves and it will heal your soul. When life throws you a curve ball (like when your hip doesn’t work) lean into the safety and beauty of your music. Sometimes you reach a spot in your life that feels familiar, like you’ve come back around to begin a new thing; but this time you are armed with a little more knowledge, a little more information and a little more courage. When you extend your heart through music, it will come back around again to meet you at your own front door.
During this holiday season, be kind to yourself. Choose to slow down and honor the tempo and the flow of living. Spend some time reconnecting to the music that brings your soul some sense of peace in a frantic world. Write a new song, sing an old tune, listen to music that feeds your soul, tickle the ivories, visit an old friend and set some time aside to strum your guitar.
Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays!