A Worldview in Music
The drum beats. Soft rhythms beckon. From within they summon the memory of what was, what is, and what could yet be.
The heart beats. Its rhythm aligns itself to the quickening drum. Life pumps through the body.
The voice sings. Clear. Sweet. Hope stirs within.
The heart sings. We rise. In surrender, all of life steps in time to the song.
Music conveys the essence of our humanity. It moves the soul. It instructs and teaches. It tells our story.
Of many the many songs that resonate with me, there are five that stand out. Beyond the power of their rhythms, the lyrics form a worldview.
So give me something to believe. Cause I am living just to breathe.
What are our lives? Deep down, we all want something to believe in. If you don’t know exactly what that is, that’s fine. In the mean time, try giving other people someone they can believe in.
What are we waiting for?
I am a master at creating excuses for not doing something. Be it training in Taekwondo, sending an email to someone, or writing a story, there is always a reason to delay. But what am I waiting for?
Usually, the answer is nothing. There is no reason for putting it off. My excuses are empty.
If there is something you’re delaying, go do it. Go live. Don’t wait for the perfect opportunity or moment. Now is the best time.
We were meant to live for so much more.
My most common mistake is not that I do something bad, but that I do something good. I do lots of good things, but how often do I do great things? The good prevents me from doing the great.
We have so much to offer the world. There are so many people that need us to do it. Will you offer the great?
Somewhere we live inside.
There’s good news though. There is always hope. No matter how dark your situation, light still lives.
That isn’t always easy to see on your own. In those times when you can’t, I’d recommend finding someone to help you. I’m extremely grateful for the people that have spoken the truth to me when I couldn’t speak it myself.
This is Your Life by Switchfoot
This is your life and today is all you’ve got now.
Even though we may have made bad choices in the past, not all is lost. We still have what’s before us. As Robert Fritz wrote, “The past is not the present. […] And the present is not the past.” What has happened before is done with.
A while back, when I disliked my position at work, I often wished things would go back to how they were on the last project. This hurt me in two ways:
First, it made me dislike the current situation more. Even though the past project still had its imperfections, I brushed over them and imagined it as being perfect.
Second, it prevented me from moving forward. Instead of looking for new opportunities, I kept looking for ways to revive the old days.
Learning to let go let me live.
Today is all we have. It’s all we can influence. Live in it and celebrate it.
This is your life, are you who you want to be? This is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be?
Other people and circumstance influence your life. But in the end, only you can choose how to live.
The moment my situation at work changed was when I chose to change it. I realized that I had power to act. If you’re not satisfied with your life, even if in a little way, try choosing to change it. For me, it made all the difference.
Warning: The song has a few profanities in it, so don’t listen if they would offend you.
Who cares? He’s there to stare and tell you how to look. I’m not even sure they know you by name.
Whenever you try to change something, people will look at you funny. They may ask, “Why are you giving so much energy doing that? You’re never going to succeed.” Some ask out of genuine concern, but some will also ask in spite and jealousy. Don’t let them pull you down.
You’re only here once, so do it well. Find your own way to rise up and give ’em hell.
The world is full of suffering and injustice. But what if we could chip away just a little of it? There’s a lot of darkness. But what if we could shine a little light? No matter who you are, you have some way you can make the world better. It may seem small, but the small things are important.
We only get one life. We can choose to do nothing with it. Or we can go all in. My experience keeps showing me that choosing to go all in is more worthwhile, both for me and for the world.
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
[…]
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love unites our hearts
I hope your life is magnificent.
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Lost in the dance. I made this photo in Nakuru, Kenya.