As I have written before, no matter what emotion it hits you with, you can not deny that music hits you. It brings you perspective, it motivates you, it lifts your spirits, it relaxes you, it saddens you, it gets you jacked up, it gets you riled up against or for a cause, it makes you dance or move around a bit, and sometimes it makes you laugh or just smile softly. This morning is one of those times, and in just one song, it hit me about 20 times with most all of that range of emotions. Just thought I would share a few of these and how they hit me. Hope the Music Hits You today. However it does, go on and let it hit you.
"If You're Out There" – John Legend
Every line of this entire song tells a story in itself, but I’ll just grab a few of them since otherwise I would be writing all day.
If you hear this message
Wherever you stand
I'm calling every woman
Calling every man
In this ever changing digital world, if you’re out there can mean a heck of a lot more than it used to as there are so many different ways we can each connect. Whether we connect with our family by watching our child’s music program, lay down next to your spouse at night, meet our parents for breakfast, sync up with our friends at a bar, hear good morning from some folks at work or school, take a call on the cell from a guy we have not heard from in a while, or just befriend someone in a whole bunch of online ways, we’re all calling. Calling to connect with people – to know that you matter, to share your story, to hear their story, and to engage us. So who is calling you? Are you listening? Who are you calling? Are they listening? How do you start making a difference with each of those?
We're the generation
We can't afford to wait
The future started yesterday
And we're already late
What kind of change is going on around you, and are you leading it, following it, or not even aware that it is happening? No matter what generation we are in, we have a role, and are we playing it?
Are we the generation that has been through many of life’s lessons at most every stage that are teaching our kids how be parents, how to lead our companies, how to impact the world around them, and set the example for the ones that follow? The ones that can assure the folks in the middle that Mom or Dad are still here, even though they are all grown up now?
Are we the middle generation that is doing that parenting, working in those organizations, old enough to know what the heck we are doing, but maybe not always seasoned enough to do it the way we know we can? The ones that can balance the vitality of youth and embracing new ideas, with enough dings and knocks on our chassis to make sense of that horsepower?
Are we the younger generation still fresh with ideals and energy not yet tainted by what was or what is, that can challenge all of that, while respecting it just the same because those folks have gone through a bunch of reality that we have not?
I was looking for a song to sing
Searched for a leader
But the leader was me
How many times has it crossed you mind as it has mine – “If only this person did this, or that person did that”, then things would be different? How much control do we give up in our lives when we let that feeling linger more than just a second? All of us have moments of doubt that stream through our head, but who better than us to make a change in our world? How many of those things we wish for could we actually make happen if only we were as willing to make it happen, as we wanted those around us to be? Are we singing our song, or someone else’s? Do we have a song?
Sing along with me if you're out there
I'm dying to believe that you're out there
Stand up and say it loud if you're out there
Tomorrow's starting now...now...now
Why not sing when the tune hits you? Why not say boldly what your view of your future is? Why not try to live this very minute with as much wisdom of the old folks, the passion of the young folks, and the determination of those in the middle trying to get the tunes balanced right? If you’re out there, say hello, get engaged (no this is not encouraging my 21 year old daughter to start making marriage plans yet – I am ready for some of the future, but not all of the future yet), confirm for those around you what your song is, and get on with tomorrow, or at least get really going with today.