Distracted by the life which fills you. You have a heart, a brain, a soul, and a spirit; so how can you feel poor and wretched? Distracted by the life which surrounds you. Dolphins, forests, oceans, mountains, rivers.
Don’t fall into what your brother fell who suffers for one human being when there are more than 5.6 billion in the world, and besides, it’s not so bad living alone. I enjoy each moment deciding what I am going to do, and thanks to the solitude, I know myself, which is fundamental for living.
Don’t fall into what your father fell who feels old at 70, forgetting that Moises led the Exodus at 80, and Rubenstein played Chopin like nobody at 90, just to cite two known examples.
You’re not depressed, you’re distracted…
That’s why you think you lost something which is impossible because everything has been given to you. You didn’t make not even one single strand of hair on your head, and as such, can own nothing. Besides, life doesn’t take things away from you, it frees you from them, making you lighter so that you can fly higher and reach plentitude.
From the cradle to the coffin is a university. That’s why what you call problems are actually lessons. Life is dynamic, and that’s why it’s always in movement, and why you need only be aware of the present…
You didn’t lose anybody. Those who have died simply beat you to the punch, because we are all headed there. Besides, the best of them, their love, remains deep inside of you.
You can’t find happiness, and it’s so easy. You need only listen first to your heart before your head intervenes…
Do only what you love and you will be happy because those who love what they do are blessedly condemned to success, which must come when it will come, because what must be will be, and will come naturally.
Magical moments which make us quiver with pleasure and form an integral part of existence. Moments which become the motion pictures of our mind and are available 24/7 to anchor us to those experiences which confirm how marvelous it is to be on this incredible journey we call life.
Everyday moments in which consist our day to day and comprise a surprising number of our minutes, hours, and days. Moments which can be overlooked if we’re not paying attention to each instant; the flight of a bird, the intense color of a flower, the invisible air giving us life.
Like the wind, opportunity is almost always present, yet rarely evident. Sometimes it sneaks up on us like a gentle breeze, while at others it can knock us over with its force.
Most often we are submerged in our own little worlds, virtually unaware of its presence. Some successfully harness its power to better their lot in life, while others brace themselves against it, preferring to stand fast where they are as it whirls about, rarely considering it as anything more than a nuisance. Many of us complain about our lack of opportunity, yet it is available to all who are willing use its strength to take us to places we never thought possible.
Like a sailboat which uses the wind to get from one place to the next, we too use opportunity to get around. Much of the time, like a boat anchored in port, we rise and fall with the tide, seeking to escape from the wrath of the winds force when it becomes too strong. Yet, if we play our cards right, it can take us to faraway places and amazing new spaces, if only we are willing to unfurl our sails and garner its strength.
Like a sailor who learns to sail the ocean blue by harnessing the wind, we too can also learn to use opportunity to our benefit, rather than simply bracing against it. While we can take advantage of opportunity before we are prepared for it, being ready for it allows us to best utilize its power. The right opportunity without proper preparation can lead us to a seemingly endless sea of nothingness, or perhaps even leave us stranded on some deserted isle.
From the time we are born, to our final days, the winds of change and opportunity take us here and there.
Have you ever thought about this?
The history books are filled with stories of those who go from rags to riches by effectively using opportunity to their best advantage. So too we find accounts of how many who are born in the lap of luxury, and seemingly endless opportunities, yet end up crashing into the rocks of some unknown coast, leading no where.
What makes the difference?
Life plays no favorites. We are all given 24 hours a day and 365 days a year to do as we please, though often we don’t think this is so. The fact is that we can remain as we are, resisting the winds of change and opportunity which threaten to take us to unknown places, or we can fill our sails with its force to take us where we want to go. While many stand firm refusing to budge against its power, others are take hold of opportunity flowing with it, rather than resisting it.
Many say luck is when opportunity meets preparation. So too is the case when the winds of change beckon us to succumb to its ever-present force. If we take an opportunity before we are properly prepared, we can end up someplace else, though we can learn from the experience as it takes us there. Contrarily, being properly prepared for opportunity when it comes our way can take us to new, exciting ports in exotic and interesting places.
Life brings opportunity daily, but on us it depends whether it leads us to frustration and failure, or to outstanding, fabulous success. Rather than resisting the winds of change and opportunity, we can prepare for them and then take them, so they may guide us to achieve our greatest desire.
A reflection over this present moment as it relates to the past and to the future.
Why are we all here?
What is this all for?
As for me, I’m not really sure, but I do know that there seems to be some grand plan behind all we have before us, and take granted for, on a daily basis. Could it be simple chance that everything works so perfectly? The sun and the clouds, the mountains and the streams, the birds and the bees, as well as you and me?
Doesn’t it all seem eerily perfect, as if the ideal picture of what Heaven can truly be?
And it is indeed Heaven, when we see it that way. Every breath of air we take is a blessing from some place which many seek to explain and understand, yet few know for sure the truth of it all; and of those who claim they do, I doubt much of what they say as well.
Can any of us truly know what all this craziness about us has to do with time, in the grand scheme of things? Can what we do today or tomorrow really make any difference in the grand scheme of it all?
I think so…
After all, we only ever have this moment right now and magic can happen when we least expect it. If you think about it, anything can happen in the next 24 hours, but much more than that, the future will be influenced by what we do in this exact instant of time, because it is all we ever really have.
Is this all nonsense?
This may be, but yet for some reason I come here to try and make sense of all of this with you; and too with myself in attempt to gain a better understanding of our existence.
Does it really matter?
Is it important?
Again, I think so. How many of us get up each day and go about our way without every really thinking about what is important in life?
Most of us, I would say. So it can pay great dividends to take a moment and reflect about our place in the whole scheme of things, as you too are now doing, since you are still with me. Are we only here on Earth to go through the motions without ever considering how what we do influences our surroundings.
Think for a moment about possibility. It is always present and in this exact instant, we can set into motion our greatest dreams and desires. But, we need to take action to do so, otherwise the song remains the same. Consider the following:
If you have a deep desire to get in touch with someone who was an important part of your life, you can do so. You may or may not meet with success, or you may even create a problem where there is none. But right now, without over-thinking it, you can initiate the process. That one call, e-mail, SMS, or Whatsapp could change your life forever. That friend could be someone you always wanted to start a business with, or perhaps an old flame which never extinguished. Or it could be nothing at all. Maybe all that happens as a result is the exchange which goes something like this: “Hey how are you?” Being responded with a, “Fine, thanks,” with a little emoji and a thumbs up sign to to confirm this to be true. My point is that something is set in motion by virtually all we do.
Maybe you always wanted to live in a certain neighborhood, or in a particular house. Recently you saw a “For Sale” sign in the front yard, and you are wondering if you should call or not. You know it would cause major disruption in your life and is an expense you can ill afford, but, it’s your dream house!
You could pick up the phone right now, call the Realtor and ask to go see the home. So many possibilities open up from there, one of which could be a curt response saying it has already been sold. But so too, it could lead to you actually living in that home you always dreamed of. It could happen, but it only if you do something. There is no other option. No tomorrow, only now. Tomorrow may be to late and yesterday already happened.
Life doesn’t happen then and there, rather here and now. It is not about what once was, or what one day will be. There is magic in this moment, and this special quality has to be with the seed of possibility. You can plant a seed right now, right here today, which can change your life forever.
We can begin to pursue our passions, instead of punching the clock for some crass, ungrateful asshole. We can begin to march to the beat of our own drum, rather than getting beat over the head by some stupid idiot. We can begin to do as we please, rather than doing as we are told.
In 24 hours, our lives can be completely different than they are right now, depending on what we do right now, in this moment. If we are content with what we are doing, how we are doing it, and who we are doing it with; by all means let’s just keep doing that, thank you very much! But if not, why not do something to change it.
If we are in an impossible work situation, we can do something right now to change it. We can ask for a transfer to a different department, or update our resume to look for another position. We can learn more about what really interests us, and consider how we can do what we love, and get paid for it.
Life is an open playing field for all. There is absolutely no one who can limit what we can achieve, except for ourselves. We can look to any type of job or business and find people who have come all different areas of life to become one of the best in their business. Without a doubt, some are given many more opportunities to succeed, and this helps many, though hinders others who are given the exact same set of circumstances, but screw it up despite the most favorable of conditions.
So too there are those who are born under the worst of circumstance, and with the most undesirable upbringings, who become super stars in what they do.
Why do some rise to the top of the heap in their chosen field of endeavor; while others sink to the bottom, regardless of what they choose to do?
While many factors are certainly attributable to our ultimate success and failure in life, one key ingredient seems to be to remain in the magic of this moment, rather than being allured away to the past or the future. While the past creates our present state, only what we do (or do not do) right now ultimately influences our future.
It’s really quite simple. What we do in this instant creates our future, for better or worse. If we are happy with the direction we are going, let’s keep headed there, if not, and if we feel have not yet achieved our full potential, or if there is some aspect in our lives which is not ideal; then it’s time to do something about it.
Isn’t this what sets winners apart from losers?
Though, in reality, what is “winning” or “losing” but a perception of a situation? Some of those who have had the biggest failures in life sometimes end up with outstanding success. While those who have been on top of the world can too fall to the depths of depression. Once again, I propose that life is not about what happened there and then, or about what one day might be, but only about this moment, right here, right now. Everything happens right now, in this moment.
If we content with how things, let’s party on Wayne: if not, why not use this moment to do something about it?
Is all just as you want it to be, or is there something you would like to do to change about your current circumstance?
June 8, 2021 marked an important milestone in my life. It was on this day that my family gave me my first harmonica for my 59th birthday. While I thought having one of these tiny instruments might be fun, I never realized the effect it has had on me since that time.
I have literally had my harmonica by my side since then. The infrequent moments when I have misplaced it have caused me no small amount of duress. Over the last several months, and in the process, I’ve lost a screw, popped another one two. and popped screws and blown a reed, but my Blue Blazer still serves me despite her battle scars.
I have learned much, in particular with Luke, an excellent teacher at www.harmonica.com; and watched countless videos of pros and wannabes, all with something to say about this magical instrument. Before going to bed at night and as I wake up in the morning, I have melodies playing in my head. I imagine how the harp will sound when I finally figure out some of its more subtle capabilities. I realize now that the harmonica is perhaps one of the easiest instruments to play, but which can take a lifetime to master.
I’m just getting started as I approach six months with my harp. During that time, I haven’t read quite as much as I typically do and my writing has been limited to a few blurbs here and there. But on the upside, practicing with it every day has helped me to understand this magical little instrument and slowly but surely, I’m starting to get the hang of it. At least to me my playing sounds a bit better, though to others it may still sound a bit like a shrieking cat.
I’ve learned that even with a blown 4 draw, I still have 19 holes left, with a whole lot of sounds I can make, even without that D note and all its permutations, on my C key harmonica. I’ve learned that if you have the right key harmonica and have a decent sense of timing, you can probably play along pretty well with most songs in the same key by playing chords. Things get a bit more tricky with single notes and melodies, but this also is where the real fun starts.
Now, when I hear music, I stop and listen to each sound and imagine the instrument creating it. I think of how much practice each musician has endured to be able to play at that level, and how far I’ve yet to go on my own journey to be able to do the same.
I hear scales in my head as I go to bed and wake with them still rising and falling as I start my day again. When I lost my D note (I later learned this is a natural phenomenon caused by a lot of playing or doing so too hard), I started playing the Blues scale on the piano because I could no longer play it on my harp. Now I am able to go up and down that scale pretty well in the keys of D and E. I hear people talk of other types of scales, of their steps, and so many other things which simply heighten my interest and make me want to learn more about the music which has always been around me, but never quite taken hold of me as it now has.
My greatest interest with the harmonica, as it is with many who play an instrument, is to be able to play by ear. I am beginning to understand that some theory is helpful on our way. Knowing how scales are formed, the differences between those that are Major and those that are Minor, as well as other nuances helps me to put together what once seemed like Greek.
Over the last several months, I have sat down on several occasions to put in writing my thoughts about how music I now hear in my mind has invaded my life. Sometimes I’ve gotten down only a few lines, and at others I’ve written a bit more. Each is very similar, and yet at the same time different.
Following are a collection of ideas that all have to do with being in harmony with life.
Bobby McB
The Scale of Life
We are each like a musical note on the scale of life. By ourselves we lack diversity and our existence can certainly be monotonous. With others we are multifaceted and can create sweet symphony.
We might even say that when we get along with others we are playing in the same key; while with others, try as we might, we never quite jibe and most certainly are off key. This doesn’t mean we are any better or worse than they, simply different. Being in harmony isn’t always easy.
If we play in D, we just may not fit into a world of those in the key of C’s. Our best efforts may just be thwarted until we find some with whom we are more in tune.
Life is a Symphony
Life is a symphony from beginning to end, Each day we live forms part of our song.
We are a note in each melody that plays, And ours is often to simply play along.
The Melody of our Tune
Have you ever thought that life is much like a symphony?
Each day is a song making up the great whole. We are the notes which make the melody of our tune.
Sometimes we strike a chord with others we meet making a sweet sumptuous sound, while at others no matter how we try, the sound comes out squeaky or flat.
The Language of Music
Life is a symphony with a myriad of songs brought forth by a wide variety of thoughts and emotions.
We are each a note within the great whole. Sometimes we play together in harmony with those around us. At other times it doesn’t matter what we do, we are just a little off key. Though we are all similar, we are all so very different as well. As we each have a unique thumbprint, so too is our note not just exactly like any other. With certain people we just seem to click and strike a chord. With others try as we might, we get nothing more than discord.
Luke says that playing music is a lot like language. Though we all use the same words and a similar grammatical structure, we each have much different ways of expressing ourselves. The harmonica brings out the best, and at times the worst, of this expression.
Some of our symphonies are spectacular masterpieces which hold beg for attention with each successive note; others are no more than karaoke in the shower, in a never ending chorus of different songs which while similar to those of others, lack the depth and expression which are the makings of sweet symphony.
Through the first part of our lives we set the tone for how our symphony of life will be played. If we learn, are open to criticism, and follow our heart, we are likely to get all we need to create a wonderful vibe in our own symphony of life.
Each day is like another song, full of crescendos, Led often by circumstance and innuendo.
My Blown 4 Draw Reed
The Sound of Music
Life is like a symphony which begins when we are born. Some start loudly with a flurry of sound and emotion, Others quietly, waiting for something to happen.
Our emotions play the notes of each song that plays. Some days play an allegro reaches crescendo, Others are melancholic in diminuendo.
Our feelings ebb and flow with the sound of the music. Sometimes events can cause massive confusion, Others with a beat which brings resolution.
The melody takes us methodically from day to day. At times we are guided by a big bass back-beat. Others, hearing anything at all is a great feat.
The melody we play depends on the notes we feel. There are times when they ring sharp and clear, Others when they are dull and difficult to hear.
Yet each day as we begin the day a new tune begins. On us it depends what kind of music we will make, We have the power to make it magic or fake.
Strike a Chord
Life is like a symphony where we each have our roles. Some vibrate in the key of “C”, while those around us May be “D’s”, “E’s”, or perhaps “A’s”, “B’s”, “F’s” or “G’s”.
With some we strike a chord, With others only discord.
We each play a melody As our part of the symphony.
Sometimes we are slow and flat, Others we are sharp and fast.
At times we are a sweet lullaby, At others, mass cacophony.
In moments we play out loud, In others, blend into the crowd.
We can stand up and be heard, Or disappear into our own little world.
Each day we are given a stage on which to play. On each it depends which tune we carry every day.
Tic – Toc
Have you ever noticed that life is very similar to a symphony?
Each of us are like notes in a grand melody which takes us through life. Those around us accompany our tune and form part of rhythm. Like a radio station playing different sounds at different times, so too goes the melody we play as we go through time.
The tic-toc of the never ending clock is like a metronome clicking silently in the background, marking time for our song. Sometimes the tempo is kicked up several notches, while at others becomes little more than a deep, steady beat, as is the case when we sleep.
Like the notes belonging to certain keys in music, we too are like those notes. C’s get along swimmingly with E’s and G’s, not always as much with A’s and F’s. And, of course, there are those who are sharp and/or flat, what’s up with that?
Sometimes we seem to go along in harmony with our surroundings, feeling comfortable with those around us and our environment. Then at others we are ill at ease and uncomfortable for some inexplicable reason.
Others around us march on in time to their own beat, rhythm and rhyme; sometimes forming part of our melody, and at others simply lost in their own tune. We have moments when everything seems to click just so, and others when nothing seems to come out right.
Yet the more that we practice, the better we seem to get in the never-ending path to figure out how to make harmony with the world around us. Perhaps this is one of the most amazing things about the harmonica is that your blow holes are always in harmony with the key of C, while your draw holes are so with the key of G. That is precisely why you do not need to know about music theory to play the harp!
Similar to those who can whistle or sing in tune, the instrument becomes nothing more than a means to an end. As you go up the harmonica, the tones become sharper and as you come down they become flatter. Of course, you have to be aware of the double draw on the 6 and 7 to keep the scale going in the right direction, but other than that, with a little bit of practice you can be playing a pretty mean Itsy Bitsy Spider.
Now without my beloved 4 draw, which a bent to the point of eventually breaking, I learn many things. First and foremost is that the harder you play the harmonica, the shorter it will last. The second is that even without that one note, I can learn to play around it, or go up or down an octave to get the same melody. The third is that now I am beginning to hear the notes as if for the very first time as I practice nice, long, slow tones, just as Luke suggests.
Have you ever wanted to learn to play an instrument, or if you do play one like to have the ability to carry it around with no hassle, buy a harmonica! It could be the beginning of something great!
Ode to my Organ
What is this?
Some may laugh and others may snicker, But my organ is incredible, of that none can bicker.
I walk around with it in my mouth all day, To the delight of some and to others dismay.
Some may think it rather small, But with it, I truly have a ball!
I take it with me wherever I go, And seek to play it like a pro.
I keep it at always at hand, Ready to join the band.
Then when I put it in its case, I hold it firmly by the base.
Others may play with it now and then, But it is my very own special friend.
Life is much like an enormous hourglass which represents time. Within it, we can see all the time passing before us on the bottom, and all the time yet to come on the top.
We are like a single grain of sand in this hourglass of eternity and it could be said our life starts as we pass through the narrow neck in the apparatus. As we are born, we are led first on a wild fall, as gravity takes us down. When we reach the bottom part, we slip and slide for awhile, before eventually coming to rest; where unless someone turns over the hourglass, we will remain until the end of time.
Consider also that everything, animate or not, also is an hourglass of time. The computer I now type on, the pens and paper by my side, along with everyone I have ever known or now know, is also subject to a beginning an an end.
Have you ever considered that every single thing in turn is also like its own individual hourglass?
Might it be that when we have kids that we create another hourglass which somehow also contains part of us?
What about a teacher who has particularly influential over his/her students, or a neighbor who has been helpful to others?
What about a loved one who is gone but who still comes to mind frequently to with words of wisdom and advice, despite having passed away?
Could it be this is somehow what is meant by eternity?
Might it be that as long as people think about us that our own hourglass of time is somehow turned over again and again?
Certainly, I do not know the absolute answers to these questions, yet I can ponder upon our own existence just as well as any other. As I consider this great question, if there is one universal truth remaining true between most religions and politics, it is that good deeds should be done to reap positive rewards.
Perhaps each time we do a good deed, we are rewarded with a bit more sand in our own hourglass of time and for each bad deed some is taken away. Though somehow this doesn’t seem to me to be so likely.
So too from where we once came, so too surely we will one day go. Ashes to ashes and dust to dust is what they say. It seems to me we may all simply be a small grain of sand in the great hourglass of eternity.
Though we may be ever so small in the great scheme of things, we too can make the most of our own hourglass of time by making the most of each and every moment.
Recently I was talking to one of my very best friends David Jones, about relationships. We’ve been friends for as long as I can remember and for most of our lives. He explained to me a concept which makes a lot of sense when it comes to virtually all of our relationships, whether they be personal or professional.
He told me relationships, both good and bad, are based primarily on three elements:
1) Trust 2) Respect 3) Honesty
Subsequently, I did a bit of research on the subject and have found several similar models with slightly different terminology for different applications. Nevertheless, I like the the way he explained it with these terms.
Trust in a relationship is not something which comes easily. On the contrary, it is something that is built over time, and is largely based on the respect and the honesty we give to others. If we respect others and are honest with them, trust in the relationship is fostered. If we do not respect others and are not honest with them, trust is rarely built.
We can choose to respect others and be honest with them but if we trust them blindly, we will often be disappointed. Think for a moment about most scam artists. They tend to try and build trust by weaving a story which leads us to believe what they are saying is true. If we give our trust too quickly, they are likely to walk away with our hard earned money or something else we own.
If after getting to know someone we feel they respect us and are honest with us, we will tend to trust them. Even so, we can still get burned as they may have simply been tricking us all along to get what they want. Nevertheless, there comes a time in a relationship where we need to begin to trust people. This can come rather quickly when we get a good “feeling” about someone, or it can take years before we truly trust them.
Respecting others in terms of their thoughts and ideas is often a matter of common courtesy. We are all different and come from a different set of circumstances. No one is “better” or “worse” than another, we are simply different from one another. By definition if we had grown up under the same conditions and with the same opportunities of another, or lack thereof, we would most likely act just as they do.
Honesty is most often related to communication. When we tell others the reasons why we do the things we do and feel the way we do, we slowly begin to build a relationship which can be based on a solid foundation of trust rather than a flimsy set of lies.
If we want to build better relationships, we can start by respecting others and being honest with them as to our desires and intentions, rather than not respecting them and lying just to get what we want. This does not guarantee the person will trust us or that we establish a strong bond, but it’s a great start.
Have you ever noticed we carry our own weather within us?
Sometimes we feel bright and sunny, others dim and gloomy. The weather outside can, and often does, influence the way we feel inside but this isn’t necessarily always the case, nor does it have to be.
There are days when we wake up rip, roaring, and ready to rock; and others when all we really want to do is to pull the covers over our head and stay in bed. Many circumstances influence our own weather within including our health, our emotions, the weather outside, and the weather within those around us. What’s more, we can go from feeling truly fabulous to absolutely terrible in an instant.
What is behind the weather we hold within?
Why is it so variable and what can we do to make it better?
Similar to the weather outside, our own is in a state of constant flux. The barometric pressure indicates a change in the weather, for better or for worse. So too do our own thoughts and emotions generally indicate where our own weather is headed.
We all have different triggers affecting how we feel. Some individuals can harm others, deceiving, robbing, and perhaps even killing others, yet not feel a drop of remorse; while others will ruminate for days causing a maelstrom in our mind only for a few unkind words exchanged with another. Some are able to change their weather inside in a heartbeat, while others toss and turn at its will.
None of us are the same. There is no pat answer which works for all. Nevertheless, here are a few ideas to optimize your own weather within:
Fill your mind with positive thoughts and ideas.
Understand that just because it is raining outside, you need not cry on the inside.
Exercise and eat well to give your body the energy it needs to optimize your own weather within.
Realize that as terrible as your weather inside may be, there is always renewed hope in the dawn of a new day.
Surround yourself with people who are generally sunny inside, offering them some of your sunshine whenever they feel stormy.
Determine to be a thermostat, being the master of your own climate; rather than a thermometer, merely reflecting the temperature around you.
As the weather outside changes, so too does the environment. After the rain comes the sunshine, after the winter comes the summer, after the light comes the dark. Perhaps we too can learn to understand that the harshest lessons of life often bring its greatest lessons.
While this certainly is much easier said than done, we can positively influence our weather inside. The wind, the humidity, and the temperature affect the weather outside. When we realize that our health, our emotions, and above all our thoughts, create our own weather within, we can better manage our own disposition so it is bright and sunny, rather than dim and gloomy.
