Blessed are the storytellers.
That’s a sentence that needs to stand alone. Blessed are they who give us a new look at life, a new perspective.
Vance Gilbert? He gives us a new look and a new beat.
Peace Rhythms. They’re not all straightforward. They’re fun, they’re fascinating, they’re sad, they’re joyous, they’re a whole lot of things. But they’re all Peace. Let’s listen. Let’s dance!
Family is the people you’re born with. There are those for whom this is a bitter regret. Some are very lucky. And most of us get along.
Family is also people you choose. Hopefully our birth experience, whether good or bad, leads us to good choices in those we choose to love.
Love is an incredible gift to offer and to receive.
Families these days look different from families 20 years ago. Our faces are not all mirror images of each other. What we have that allows others to see our lineage is our smiles and our actions.
It’s a wonderful thing, isn’t it. Families, Peace. Let’s make the best of them!
Wow. So, I’m having one of those brain too tired to think days. There’s been too much going on in my life. All I have, since thinking about the river and writing this title, was a mental image of all the kids from everywhere, lined up along the bank of the river, exchanging lines in a chant back and forth. Peace, Peace, Peace… (that’s not what I was hearing, when I was envisioning this… but, brain problem, remember?)
After a restorative nap, I may need to go down to the river and let it soothe and restore my soul… and see what words might come to me.
This river is our resource. Let’s use it. Let’s Peace.
We look back and see where we were. We consider who we are now. We look forward and determine who we will be.
There are so many words. And we’re all using them. But the inhale, exhale, plan, do, are where we need to be, that’s about all I’ve got.
And look back a bit, drag forward all the good things you believe in and commit. Look at what worked. And what didn’t. And then do what needs to be done. That’s going to have to be what we’re about, isn’t it?
Last night the people in my faith community remembered that we have a forebear who stood in times like these. It helps. We’re the ones who have to bring the Peace.
Ann and I are good acquaintances… we’ve never spent a lot of time together, yet, when we have it’s generally been at an event where the community is swirling around… concerts to memorials, we know many of the same people.
We laugh however, because people think we’re the same person. No, I’m the thin church-voiced back up singer and the preacher-lady. She’s the good-hearted, well-thought blues queen.
What we both are, aside from our soft silhouettes is outrospective. We’re public women, pushing our own kinds of Peace. I don’t know about Ann, but I do my thinking in words, outside my head. I need to drip the words into silence or onto paper to begin to understand what I think.
Right now, I’m exhaling a lot, knowing I need to move forward gently…
Now is the time for Peace, Love, and Understanding. I exhale, forgiving myself and each other, and begin again in Love.
If there’s anything we need, it’s more music. I predict this will be a good time ahead for good songs.
We have a coffee house where we are. John’s been a faithful supporter of that venue (in addition to being a guy who works hard to make his music better for him and us).
In the time to come, we’re going to need Peace songs to encourage us on our way. Pithy, catchy songs to carry us on our way.
We’re going to need to go to coffee houses and be together. We’ll need the blues. But we’ll need our power songs.
Ready? start writing songs of Peace.
I’m sure Joe kept himself sane through his lawyer years with hard cases for people whose lives were complicated and insecure by playing music.
He certainly added a lot to our lives through that time… But hooray, here comes retirement!
But now he has all the time he wants to explore his music for himself. I’ve heard a couple things. I really hope we’ll hear more. But I mostly hope that he gets to dig in and just have a good time. And of course I always hope he makes his beloved dance. She does love to dance!
Time for Joe to give his own Peace a chance. Lucky us!
You start some place. We all do. This guy started in this little Valley. He may have been young when he started, but he has a always had big voice! He has a big following inside and outside this Valley.
But every year, once a year, he comes back and sings and plays with his teacher. They have a good time. We have a great time! Leaving is great. Homecomings are great. There’s Peace in both — and Peace is for the listening! Enjoy!
I used to sing back up with this woman. It was always fun because she was always ready for a good time. We always laughed.
And then she fell in love and went away, and music isn’t as giggly fun as it used to be in this valley.
Even when you sing the blues, when there’s harmony and friends, the blues aren’t as hard to carry.
The laughter and the music fill and heal your heart… Join together, they fill the hearts of the singers. They fill the hearts of the players. They fill the hearts of the audience.
Everyone’s hearts are in the same place. That’s Peace! Thanks Averie! You’re so Savory! And so is Peace!
It’s a risk to marry at a point in your life where you are so much yourself. It’s hard to make a place in your life for a lover. I remember my friend Carolyn saying as she was falling in love with Jim, he’s fabulous, but is there any reason he has to have stuff? Why yes, that’s one reason Steve and I live in the same town and not the same house! Drums! Books!
The thing about Steve that tempted me into marriage at this age was not simply that he was someone I loved… although I do. It is that his passion for music is so huge, so much a piece of him, that I knew there would be room for my own passion for social justice and community. And there is.
It’s bumpy, of course it is. Two people used to having themselves and their work at the center of their lives are not the easiest bedfellows. But two people, each reflecting the other’s work… it’s a great thing.
Marriage anytime, but especially as you become more clearly you, takes a lot of ego. It takes a lot of strength… It definitely takes Love to lead to Peace. Peace is a moving target! But the journey goes on from here…
