No. 11 - Theme Song

As I sit listening to my favorite song… that one that no matter what challenge I face I can do so with assurances... I feel encouraged that we are becoming a better people. You know the song I’m talking about… that one that stimulates your very core each and every time you hear it simply because it gives you the courage to believe in the goodness of mankind, and the sense to know you’re on the right track. We all have one. I certainly hope we all have one. We all ought to have one.

Many years ago as a child I sang in the Church choir and, while I enjoyed participating in the choir, I couldn’t fully appreciate the experience. I remember how wrapping myself within the harmony of the chorus was so uplifting. I remember hearing the bass, the tenor, alto, and soprano sections singing, harmonizing and feeling good about how well we sang a particular song.

As I grew older I didn’t sing in the choir, becoming a spectator. How enjoyable it was to experience a Brother or Sister giving their all in celebration of their beliefs. How fascinating to watch a friend grow from a fearful young child into a daring youth, unafraid to sing praises to his/her God. There have been a hundred cases where I sat listening to a young child sing his/her heart out, drawing tears of wonderment from the crowd, myself included.

That seems so long ago. So far away. For sure there will always be Church and there will always be choirs. That is a given in our community because it is part of who we are… it resonates in our souls.

And then there is secular music. So many great singers, so many great stories told. So many great lives touched in so many different ways. Over the years I would guess there are a couple million people who have been touched in so many different ways because of how deeply a song has resonated within them.

I wanted to acknowledge both “sides” of the music spectrum to make a point of demonstrating that neither “side” is better than the other. Neither side can impact an individual more profoundly then the other. Indeed, it is the individual’s Spirit that determines which form of music it will respond to, and in what way. And both gospel and secular music have value in every community.

In my journey I’ve come to appreciate the impact music has on me in a very profound way. It has been when I’m at my lowest points, when life seems to have forgotten my very existence and no one acknowledged what I was doing, that I found my Theme Song.

Many days I’ve walked the Lake while playing the song in my mind. Many nights I sat considering if I wanted to stay my course, or yield my desire to build my community and take a corporate position. It has not been a journey for the faint of heart… it has been a journey that has strengthened my resolve and made my existence completely rewarding. At each of these questionable intersections my theme song has lead to the harmonizing of my body, mind, and spirit. It has intervened on behalf of my destiny and my duty to my community to make certain I stay focused, and on course.

So the next time you are facing a challenge in your life. The next time things just don’t seem to be going right and no one seems to care, I encourage you to play your theme song over and over again until your spirit is comforted. If you do not have one I’d like to offer mine… it has meant the difference between a great day and a not-so-great day (smiling – I refuse to have anymore bad days).

You can hear the entry part of my theme song by going here.

Following are the lyrics:
Can't understand
Why we treat each other in this way
Taking up time
With the silly, silly games we play
We've got our love
And no matter how it's said or done
We are one
No matter what we do
We are one
Love will see us through
We are one
And that's the way it is
Sometimes I feel
That we try and make each other sad
The things we do
How we make each other feel so bad
We've got so much
We could all be having so much fun
We are one
From the very start
We are one
Deep down in your heart
We are one
And that's the way it is
I Can't understand
Why we treat each other in this way
Taking up time
With the silly, silly games we play
We've got our love
And no matter how it's said or done
We are one no matter what we do
We are one love will see us through
We are one and that's the way it is

In case you didn’t get the lyrics, or the link, the song is “We Are One” by Frankie Beverly and Maze.

Peace…