the thread of hope

Since posting my close to my heart story of my drumming, I have realized that public writing is a little terrifying, and also a lot therapeutic. I did not realize how many of you would read my words and take them to mean something to you as well. A wise woman (my sister) told me “be careful: words have power, but written words have even more.” True. This coming from someone who quotes Seinfeld or The Soprano’s in almost every conversation we have. I did not realize that people I have not spoken to or even thought about in a very long time would reach out with a comment, DM, or text.

This is not the typical ‘hey thanks, you made me feel better’ letter here. I believe that I learned something a lot more useful for all of us in your words.

Every interaction that I have had (billions?) goes out as a thread into the world, to be realized, acted upon and/or used at another moment in time. Consider:

1. An old student (shout out Aaron!) who told me that he recently was talking with an older gentlemen about music and how today’s music is junk and how come no kids know the good stuff yada yada yada, and Aaron (at least 30 himself) says, well years ago in middle school I had a music teacher that fed us all kinds of stories about The Beatles. Aaron told me that the old man’s eyes lit up and they talked classic rock for a half hour….

2. A very old friend (shout out Eric) who I haven’t seen in almost 30 years reached out to share that he still plays guitar, even through arthritis and that playing in a few rock bands with me back in the day are some of the best memories of his childhood. Me too man. Me too.

3. Another old student, now a gigging musician and drummer himself (shout out Sean) told me that he had a gig the very night that he read my blog and that he would play for the audience with me in his thoughts and his hands. That floored me. I thought for a minute….that’s so amazing….I’m at the gig. Rock on Sean.

4. A parent of a family of kids that I have had and have grown close with (shout out Merideth) told me that I give hope to so many people that I’ve never even met. She is too kind. My day may have more steps and procedures than able-bodied people, but the results are the same: Get up, work, do your best, try to limit mistakes, treat others with kindness, have some grub, chill out, sleep, repeat.

This thread of interaction is with all of us ALL of the time. A person pops into my head and I wonder how they are although I haven’t seen or spoken with them in forever. I try to think of an interaction, joke, story or experience I have shared with them and there’s the thread again. I draw on knowledge and stories from old teachers I had, family members living and dead, friendships and relationships gone by and I feel the thread. I just read a paper written by a dear friend (shout out Pat) and she states: “Hope is personal.”

I agree. In my just about 49 years on the planet, I personally hope that a memory you and I have shared bounces into your head at a random time and you smile. The thread…Hope is personal, it is also eternal.

Stay awesome, stay safe, and stay tuned.