Thought for The Day - Perfect Pitch

Declare It! - 8 x 11 - Colored Pencils

As in perfect voice. As in singing or speaking...when the voice by training , or a moment of instinctual balance and release, comes through with a sound, smoothly, evenly. Perfect pitch; when the sound coming from you, as an instrument, move at a rate detected by the ear, moving the listener to attention. Perfect pitch; well spoken, delivered in perfect sound, exciting the soul!

More than a practice of classical trained singers musicians and orators, it springs from the heart and soul of the person willing to align themselves in that moment. Perhaps, over time, the delivery can be "canned;" practiced to the extent that exact delivery point, that sound repeated. But it is the soul, that connection to God and a desire to declare, that moves our soul to hear.

Perfect Pitch; choosing to be the vehicle, the very vessel for a statement in a moment. I have watched teenagers, with no formal training, but only a desire to "sing for God," stand on a platform with hundreds watching, and sing in such perfect pitch, you would swear the voice was came from heaven. I've seen people sing and speak in the least ideal circumstances - flat building, average height ceiling - come through with a sound that rocks you to your core! And I've seen people who couldn't "hold a note" in an instant, sing as if Sarah Vaughn were 'channeled' through them!

Declaration; in this case a willingness to share, to pronounce, to make known. When we decide we have something to share, when we do so, perhaps in spite of our own sense of weakness or fear, we can stir the soul. And perhaps, for that moment, we have added our voice to those who desire to change the world. Perfect pitch; DECLARE IT!!!

Thought for The Day - Eyes Wide Open

Study for Pre-Dawn Light 18 x 24 Charcoals

In a day's time, in the instance of a moment, there is so much we can absorb and take in. Actually our senses take in far more than our conscious mind will acknowledge; our reasoning filters out far more than we would acknowledge. But let's consider what we might dismiss, the stuff our 'filter' sees but refuses to acknowledge.

In traffic, on the way to work - work and our feelings about it (good, bad and ambivalent) being our primary focus - we pass others. We drive by them, beside them and see them in our rear view mirror. We see them, but we don't; we see faces and the same tell-tale indicators in their expression as in ours. Someone is struggling with a decision about a spouse or 'significant other' oblivious to their pain. There is someone who has a child that is capable of so much more, but is that child falling into the steps of me, the parent, who also could do much more? What about the story behind the eyes of a homeless man or woman, or the person pretending to be? What motivates someone to stand on street corners and beg for money when they have a place to stay, food and perhaps a car? And how different is that from you and I, living from paycheck to paycheck, the modern day equivalent of hand-to-mouth existence?

At work, 'hello, good morning' and small talk break up the work load. But how much truth are we ignoring in the words of our 'work-family?' More importantly, how much of our own soul's cry and longing for the 'abundant life' goes unanswered? 

Thought for The Day - Try, Try Again

Always trying...something new, what seems old; try it again. Maybe this time, another time, it "works." And isn't that ultimately what we want out of life? If I move to this neighborhood, this city, attend this school, marry this woman, maybe 'it' will 'work' for me. Maybe I will earn enough, my belongings won't stolen or vandalized; maybe I will have peace and a "good life." Always trying, always searching.

We won't fault an individual for trying, even when we feel like they're wasting their time. We all stand accused of trying to shift the world to our favor, of connecting our effort to our desires. And everyone capable of reading this will try it again, and again, and again. Why? Because as long as we live, we are motivated to brighten our life, bring beauty and completion to our lives.

And so it goes. Many will read these words, their mind already focusing on a way to do better or their feet and hands moving in the direction of a richer life. Keep at it; it's what we are designed to do.

Thought for The Day - It Starts with Me

Pretty Seed - 9 x 12 Pastels

Of course, we all want the world to change for the better. We want the politicians to stop playing games with our tax money, we want to earn more money - whether working for ourselves or working for 'the man' - and we want better education and healthy choices for food. We want our neighbors to care more for their yards and the guy in traffic weaving in and out of it, to realize he isn't the only out here.

But...

It starts with me.

I could picket, preach, join this organization, write letters to my congressman, sign an electronic petition on my company's behalf calling for the congress to act like adults...

But...

It starts with me.

When I, each day, make choices to care about me, take action to bolster those thoughts, I change the world. When I sit in front of this computer, sharing my insights, a willingness to be known by words and images, I slowly change the direction of the world. When I model and teach behavior that is kind and considerate to others, when my children see me helping them and going out of my way to help others, I am changing the world.

It starts with me.

Thought for The Day - The Art of Good Sound

I'm a fan of music, good music, great music! I have a particular tastes, though I'm always willing to try something new. The power of Music is felt in it's ability to change the mood of a room or in your head. I have said many times, if I had my way, I would listen to music every hour of every day.

Music has been part of my life for all of my life. And whether at church, at home, the gym, and at work, I need it to as the background of my life. It isn't always about soothing or relaxing. Sometimes the music triggers ideas and a new approach on an old idea. It is the movement of my life.

Thought for The Day - Words and Images

Study for Predawn Light - 18 x 24 charcoal and pencil

Of a Feather - 18 x 24 pastels

The Seed - 12 x 18 - pastels

I've wondered how long it would take to get to this message. Well here I am; and here it is.

The title of a song, a poem, a painting or a car. Images and words, words and images. Words convey an imagery, a thought and feeling without imagery; images, rendered with or without intent, can speak volumes. In a "concrete" world, full of facts and statistics, lazy reasoning rules. Beaten down by cultural norms and the words "no" and "don't," we choose a life as herded cattle, following the cow path to and from home.

Every now and then, we allow a word, an image or both to rattle our cage. It doesn't have to be a speech or orchestrated rendition via a fine soprano voice. No, every now and then, the voice of a child, reading our worried expression, breaks through our London-fog, shines pure light on us and awakens the divinity languishing beneath our flesh. We only need a moment, often we only alow singular events anyway. But our world is altered ever so slightly by words and images.

Have you ever received a drawing from a small child and rather than ask "what is it," simply said "oh this is nice!" Children know intent; they instinctively know the connection between lines, colors and their identity. It's only when we force rules and names, that they forget the truth. But we can all stand to re-enter the school of words and images.

Allow the light to shine in you.

Thought for The Day - One Life

I'm Listening 24 x 36 Oils

You're living it now. You may not enjoy it, you may wish for more, but this is it, this is your life. Now if you want more out of it, if it isn't all you wish it would be, what are you doing about it? What can you do about it?

There really is more to this life than just "making it." Deserve it, earn it or not, live life to the full!