Grand, Divine, Eternal Drama

To me it seems as if when God conceived the world, that was poetry; He formed it, and that was sculpture; He colored it and that was painting; He peopled it with living beings, and that was grand, divine, eternal drama. ~ Emma Stebbins, 1816-1876
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Two of the greatest musicians I’ve ever known have moved to heaven but continue to have a profound influence on me. One of those is my dad and the other is a man by the name of Bernard Franklin, a music minister and amazing pianist. Both were incredibly gifted and talented, however the depth of their influence resides in the fact they were tuned in to imparting their gift to others; or more accurately, at calling out the gifts in others. They gave inspiration and encouragement to free others to flow with the talents within themselves.

I want to invest my life in people. I think it matters a lot less what I’m capable of as what others are capable of that perhaps lies buried and unexpressed under doubt, fear, indecision and uncertainty. Our most valuable natural resource is people. What a diverse lot we are. What a grand adventure to look for the beauty in others.

Molten-Golden Notes

If you haven’t seen the You Tube video of Susan Boyle yet, you must watch it.

I am fascinated by the tidal wave that's been created by her appearance on "Britain’s Got Talent" April 11th. The YouTube clip has been viewed more than 50 million times in just one week! I believe it’s the underdog in all of us that rises to applaud loudly. In my mind, she represents the unfulfilled dreams we all have. Her courage and mettle are as molten lava in the tide of cynicism and defeat that are washing away the hopes of many.

Her life has no doubt changed in the last week. Regardless of her future recording contracts, she has touched the world with her gift. How appropriate that her song choice was “I Dreamed a Dream”.

“From the molten-golden notes,
And all in tune,
What a liquid ditty floats
To the turtle dove that listens, while she gloats on the moon!

Excerpt from “The Bells” by Edgar Allan Poe

Whatever form of expression your song may take, I hope you sing this week.

It Was the Best Of Times

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness.” In 1859, Charles Dickens penned these lines in A Tale of Two Cites, though it seems he could have been describing 2008. When you read the headlines, it’s easy to become glum, so I have to turn my thoughts to higher things.

Well written prose and poetry is a kind of music to my soul.
So I go to the last verses (my grandmother’s favorite) of “The Day is Done” by Longfellow to share peaceful thoughts for this weekend:
“Then read from the treasured volume
The poem of thy choice
And lend to the rhyme of the poet
The beauty of thy voice.

And the night shall be filled with music
And the cares that infest the day,
Shall fold their tents like Arabs,
And as silently steal away.”

And just for good measure (the measure being my heart is full!), meet the one who continues to impart a legacy to love the written word, to love God and to cherish all things beautiful. She is doing well!