Relationships:
Every day I am fortunate for inspirational emails that I get from an odd source; a State Farm Agent. I guess like a good neighbor they really are there for you! ;) But yes, Carmel, a friend of a family friend, sends me and his entire network a daily inspirational message, not just for business, but to show how he loves people, by caring about their well-being. In an email I received this week, I read three very short, yet powerful quotes, about relationships and I thought I would share them with you and give little anecdotes about how I see them ringing true in my own life.
Every day I am fortunate for inspirational emails that I get from an odd source; a State Farm Agent. I guess like a good neighbor they really are there for you! ;) But yes, Carmel, a friend of a family friend, sends me and his entire network a daily inspirational message, not just for business, but to show how he loves people, by caring about their well-being. In an email I received this week, I read three very short, yet powerful quotes, about relationships and I thought I would share them with you and give little anecdotes about how I see them ringing true in my own life.
Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive.” —Anais Nin
Across the Universe:
I realize this all the time in the relationships that I have with the people I work with on my music. Inside of every member of my band lives a world full of music; it is a part of what Ken Robinson calls our “element”, the epicenter of our creative universe. Many of the recordings I have made were birthed in my own personal universe, but they matured in the infinite universes and possibilities of every player in the band, and in every arranger, producer, engineer, when they blessed those songs with their love and their talent. The author of this quote, being a writer and a poet has a way with words. She creates a word-picture where I can clearly see the importance of connection . There is no way I would have been able to create the music I have created thus far without sharing it with other talented individuals. I do not play all the instruments, I do not know how to arrange for all the instruments, sound engineer, or a myriad of other tasks needed to get things done. Therefore, my musical world was not fully born until these people were gifted to me from God. I am blessed and eternally grateful to have them in my life and to call them friends.
I realize this all the time in the relationships that I have with the people I work with on my music. Inside of every member of my band lives a world full of music; it is a part of what Ken Robinson calls our “element”, the epicenter of our creative universe. Many of the recordings I have made were birthed in my own personal universe, but they matured in the infinite universes and possibilities of every player in the band, and in every arranger, producer, engineer, when they blessed those songs with their love and their talent. The author of this quote, being a writer and a poet has a way with words. She creates a word-picture where I can clearly see the importance of connection . There is no way I would have been able to create the music I have created thus far without sharing it with other talented individuals. I do not play all the instruments, I do not know how to arrange for all the instruments, sound engineer, or a myriad of other tasks needed to get things done. Therefore, my musical world was not fully born until these people were gifted to me from God. I am blessed and eternally grateful to have them in my life and to call them friends.
“If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call to make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?” —Stephen Levine
Mama, oooooooooo:
If I could only make one phone call, my last phone call would be to my Mom. A self-proclaimed “mama’s boy”, I am very close with her. She is one of the only people I can share my inner most thoughts and frustrations, as well as really good news . I would call her because I know she would listen to everything I had to say and be able to tell all the people that I didn't get to talk to what I would want to tell them. I also would want her to have the closure she would need to go on after I am gone. I am not sure the exact words I would say but in a song called, Mama, I co-wrote with Jaeson Ma about his mom, who was going through treatment for cancer at the time; I interjected thoughts of my own mom into the lyrics: “You gave me love, you gave me life, you gave me everything, you sacrificed; There’s no way I can ever repay you, Just wanna say to you Mom I’m so thankful, and I pray for you every day; I love you.” Maybe that is what I would say. Then I would tell her to personally reach out and hug everyone I loved, and let them know my love will always be with them. I’m not waiting, as Mr. Levine suggests; I know my Mom and the people I love most know I love them, but I could say it more often, while we are all still here to hear it.
If I could only make one phone call, my last phone call would be to my Mom. A self-proclaimed “mama’s boy”, I am very close with her. She is one of the only people I can share my inner most thoughts and frustrations, as well as really good news . I would call her because I know she would listen to everything I had to say and be able to tell all the people that I didn't get to talk to what I would want to tell them. I also would want her to have the closure she would need to go on after I am gone. I am not sure the exact words I would say but in a song called, Mama, I co-wrote with Jaeson Ma about his mom, who was going through treatment for cancer at the time; I interjected thoughts of my own mom into the lyrics: “You gave me love, you gave me life, you gave me everything, you sacrificed; There’s no way I can ever repay you, Just wanna say to you Mom I’m so thankful, and I pray for you every day; I love you.” Maybe that is what I would say. Then I would tell her to personally reach out and hug everyone I loved, and let them know my love will always be with them. I’m not waiting, as Mr. Levine suggests; I know my Mom and the people I love most know I love them, but I could say it more often, while we are all still here to hear it.
“Don’t smother each other. No one can grow in the shade.” —Leo Buscaglia
I recall this from my only long-term romantic relationship in my adult life. If you don’t let a person breathe, you will suffocate them. Relationships should add value, not take away from your life. People mean well, and I get it, sometimes we are so afraid of losing someone so much that we try to hold on to them as tight as we can, like a little bird; crushed to death in our own hands. That bird was meant to fly, but it cannot if you do not let it go. I think in any relationship you must constantly evaluate your motives for why you want to be in that relationship and why you do the things you do. Is it for selfish reasons? Quid Pro Quo?
A person that is being smothered feels trapped and they may be forced out of that relationship anyway, whether we like it or not. People usually do the opposite of what we want them to do. My favorite part of this quote is the second line, “No one can grow in the shade.” Freedom is the sunlight that a plant desperately needs for photosynthesis (food) to grow. Don’t block someone you love from the light. As John Mayer said in his song, Gravity, “Keep me where the light is.” Let’s go and let’s grow.
Reading these three quotes, what are you inspired to do differently now when it comes to your relationships today?
A person that is being smothered feels trapped and they may be forced out of that relationship anyway, whether we like it or not. People usually do the opposite of what we want them to do. My favorite part of this quote is the second line, “No one can grow in the shade.” Freedom is the sunlight that a plant desperately needs for photosynthesis (food) to grow. Don’t block someone you love from the light. As John Mayer said in his song, Gravity, “Keep me where the light is.” Let’s go and let’s grow.
Reading these three quotes, what are you inspired to do differently now when it comes to your relationships today?