My Love
This one might wander a bit bare with me…
I am in love.
I’ve always been a musical person ever since I was really small. I played piano by ear before I could read, I was always in the select choir and got solos in elementary school musical programs, I started playing guitar at the age of 11, I scored high on musical ability and pitch tests in Jr. High, and I was always especially skilled at playing quick runs on my sax in high school.
I never actually practiced or did anything to foster my talent though. These days, I still remember how to play my saxophone, but I’ve lost my embouchure. I’ve pretty much completely forgotten how to play a guitar (outside of Guitar Hero lol…) and the only time I play the piano is when I’m randomly passing by the one at my parents’ house.
Now my love of music is only manifested in the music I listen to. I still wonder though what would have happened if I really fostered those talents. Other times, I think it’s not that my musical ability has gone anywhere, or even that it’s specifically a musical talent that I have. ..it might be that I have discerning senses when it comes to practicing and appraising creative expression…For example, my boss says that I have an eye for what looks good in design. Curiously, my musical director also said the same about me in my ability to pick out tones and rhythms in music. It makes me wonder what else I may be good at that I haven’t discovered yet.
Actually, it may not even be that I have a great ear and eye, it could be that my talent is identifying the good aspects of something and amplifying it so it can reach its full potential.
I was watching my DVD of Marvin Gaye performances (woot!) last night and it was interesting to see him when he was just starting out at Motown. His style was 100% different than what he was doing post What’s Going On. In his early work, you could hear hints of the kind of style he would sing in later on and it just made me CONVINCED that everyone has a purpose or goal of some sort that you work toward your entire life.
I’ve noticed that in everything I do from music to art or even in all of the previous examples my main motivation has been to think about how to help someone or something reach their full potential. That was my reason for joining AKA…as a vehicle to reach people. It’s my motivation for being a mentor at a local high school. It’s the driving force of my personal relationships…romantic ones especially…”what can I do to help you realize how much potential you have.”
When I was 14 years old I had this sketchbook full of collages. I left the first page blank and had written “potential” in small plain black letters in the center. I mean think about it! A blank page could hold the most extravagant groundbreaking piece of art…or the formula for everything in the universe…or even an essay that could change the world!!
. . .
But yeah…music…art…creative expression…potential…
I’m in love with possibilities and potential.
