The Biggest Lemon

The Biggest Lemon

I went to the grocery the other day to pick up a few things, and among those things I needed were 2 lemons. I remember while I was in the produce section that there were only as small number of lemons left to choose from. Now amongst those few lemons one of them was ginormous compared to the others. And I thought to myself why hasn’t anyone taken this huge lemon? Then my next thought was, something must be wrong with it. But then just an exercise I thought I would buy it along with another one just to see if it was fine. So anyways, I just took that lemon out of my fridge to cut a slice to add to a glass of water. As I cut into the lemon there was this anticipation of what it was going to be like inside. Was I going to be proven a fool by finding out that half of it was rotten or was it just fine like all of the others? Lo and behold…drum roll please…it was fine. Just like the rest of them. And you know, when I chose it, there was also that thought of disdain for the person who takes the biggest one or the best one. Why is that? Like there’s something wrong with having the best and expecting the best for yourself. But as I mentioned I sliced in and found out that it’s perfectly fine. I also found out that what made the lemon so big was that the skin was extra thick. So there was another lesson for me, sometimes you’re just gonna have to have a thick skin when you follow your heart and intuitions and trust that whatever will be will be. So thank you everyone for not buying this ginormous lemon so I could learn this valuable life lesson. 

To you and your lemons in the produce section.

 

Quote from Jim Rohn

I read this quote from Jim Rohn earlier today and it really resonated with me. I thought I'd post it here for you to see just in case it's something that you needed at this point in your life.

Before you are tempted to give up or get discouraged, remember all success is based on long term commitment, faith, discipline, attitude and a few stepping stones along the way. You might not like the stone you are on right now, but it's sure to be one of the stones that lead to great opportunities in the future.

In All Things

Till you're gone, better live the now
So when they set the sun - they'll remember how
You pleased the crowds, plus allowed
Your soul to soar - then took your bow
Curtains closed, show is over
Rave reviews, they wanna show it over
And you're the star that they wanna see
And the star shining bright up over me.

I was writing a song yesterday and this is a lyric that came out of that process. This particular verse is how I ended the song and my hope is that it can bring some inspiration to you.

While we have today to live, we have to live it to our best. There are no "do-overs", this is it. One take, good or bad. And as the lyric implies, if you did your best, then when your life comes to an end there will be plenty of you left for people to remember. And how you live your life and how you affect others is going to determine how you are remembered. So the choice of how you get remembered is up to you really, if you think about it. It's in your day to day decisions, it's in the way you interact with you fellow man.

And if you have done your best, then you become that bright, shining star, that example of what's possible for the rest of us.

In all things do your best.

One, Two (poem)

Click link for audio version
http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=11443838&q=hi&newref=1

I spit lethal, exciting the people

1 movie, 1 take 1 shot no sequel

You see, the Master of the universe gave me 1 chance

To put my stamp on this earth and make everyone dance

It’s sorta like 1 nation under a groove

It’s 2 bad this whole earth can’t do the same thing 2

And spread 1 love all across 1 planet

Now that’s true peace but can anyone understand it?

Or are we 2 caught up in individual needs

Cuz 2 can never eat if 1 is filled with greed

And if 1 can’t see past his own selfish ambition

Its 2 late 2 come together, 1 is only left wishing

But if everyone can teach 1 then everyone can reach 1

But if none are qualified to teach then in the end we reach none

It’s like, you could give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day

Teach that same man how to fish and he’ll feed his fam along the way

Can you dig it?! Mic check 1, 2

As long as life is in my veins I realize I can’t lose

Cause you see, 1, 2 many times I’ve quit

Now I’m 2 close for comfort got me feeling this is it

Cause what if this is my 1 chance to shine

If you know like I know, opportunity knocks but 1 time

And if that 1 time she knocks and you don’t answer

She ain’t coming back, you can call but she won’t answer

I guess it’s that whole, once bitten twice shy

And 1 is guaranteed to fall if 1 is 2 afraid 2 fly

It’s 2 soon, it’s 2 hard, it’s 2 tough, it’s 2 late

It’s 2 cold, I’m 2 tired, the task is 2 great

There’s 2 many excuses, 2 many chances lost

But for me not 2 try, that is 2 great a cost

You see, I can’t go down 2 my grave

Knowing I played it 2 safe with the 1 chance that God gave

I mean, look at music, look at anything under the sun

Even James Brown knew you got to play it on the 1

It’s 1 journey, 1 life, 1 love, 1 people

1 movie, 1 take, 1 shot no sequel

1, 2

One of the Greatest

So, as the world has heard and witnessed, we lost another great artist this past weekend. Whitney Houston. Wow, what a talent! I still remember that first album and how she 'shook up the world' with that huge beautiful voice. One of the things I enjoyed about her and her work, was the fantastic balance of creativity and simplicity. Her performances were based more on the song than on the elaborate stage settings and array of dancers. When she sang a song on stage, you were focused mainly on her singing the song as opposed to being distracted or just entertained by everything happening around her. Simplicity. But then when you consider the choices she made vocally within a song and the bold chances she took within a song, my God! Her creativity shone through.

She definitely gave birth to a generation of singers who allowed their vocal talents to be a dominating trait as opposed to just an image leading the way. There's nothing like listening to a song and being moved to goose bumps or tears or whatever, but just to feel something from that song. She did that continually. Within the past month I had actually went back and checked out her performance of the Star Spangled Banner that she did at the Superbowl. Again, her simplicity and creativity finding a perfect balance to create one of the greatest vocal performances of that song.

People will speculate about how she handled her later years in and out of the spotlight, but the fact remains that she was first and foremost a human being. Who knows how any of us would handle fame and fortune. And really, does it matter? She handled it the best way that she knew how. At the end of the day, she inspired many, entertained many and was able to touch the world with the talent that God blessed her with. I can only say that it was a job well done. Way to go Whitney! 

Uniquely Gifted

I've been reading the book, Music, by Andrew Zuckerman. Fantastic book if you get a chance to take a look, especially if you're an artist of any type. Really cool to see how we connect to the same thing, that being music, so differently and yet so similarly. That's the beauty of being an individual and allowing the creativity that is uniquely inside of you to come out.

That's why I find it so interesting...or uninteresting, when you hear and see copy cat artists that are piggy backing off of something that has already been done. I understand the whole idea of not reinventing the wheel, but come on... We're all so uniquely gifted, that's something to tap into. At the same time, being an artist, I understand that fear of actually showing the "real you" in your work and how unsettling that can be. Sometimes the "real you" isn't what the mainstream is doing, and that can be a hard thing to go against. But then there's nothing more liberating than letting your truth come out, regardless of how it's received.

Be true to who you are, accept who you are and enjoy the power that comes from that. So easy to type it out for you, not always so easy to live it...but I'll do my best.

Be blessed.

Sunday conversation

I had a great conversation with a friend today. We were talking about awareness and how important it is for our growth as individuals. Then she went on to say that, sure awareness is good and all, but if you don't do anything with it...then it's basically just information. So much truth to that.

It's that whole, knowing what you need to do or should do in a situation, but being stuck in an old habit that you can't yet  break free of. Procrastination has been a big one for me in the past and shows its face from time to time still. But when awareness and action are combined, then we have a crazy catalyst for growth and change.

It's a learning process though, right? I mean, at one point we're not even aware that we're not aware and then we finally gain an awareness that makes us aware of that lack of awareness. You dig?!

So here's to your own growth and development. I hope action and awareness serve you well.