Life Lines

As I go through my life, I've come to realize that I've made it this far for a number of reasons.One is that I have a very strong belief in Allah (God), I had very strong parents and siblings. I've had very strong loves, and a host of other things. The string that attachs them all is life lines.
Life lines are those little sayings and phrases that are mostly meant as allegory, but are quite useful tidbits.
Here are a few of them, and then I'll get more into the post I'm writing...
"Every cloud has a silver lining,"my Mother used to tell us that all the time, and it has helped to lift me up when I have felt blue or sad (I've spewed that alot lately...). "The fool finds dreams the cheapest road to glory, but the wiseman knows the high price of awakening. My Father told me some variation of that, during his life. I feel that he meant that one needs to do the work necessary in life in order to live it fully; just a dream alone won't get you there. My Vickie used to tell me to "only fight worthwhile battles."
People, places, the things they do, and the times that they do them. This is a line from the hit TV series NYPD Blue as told by Andy Sipowicz (played brilliantly by Dennis Franz).That line has really stayed with me and has helped me to understand the nature of people, and how to move myself through the world.
"We must live in a world of reality and not delusion," My friend Robin told me this just last night, and it forms the basis of my post today.
Every one of us aspires to be something. From loved to respected, and everything in between.  But are we being delusional or are we living in reality? Are we willing to do the work necessary to make those dreams come true or are we just holding on to a senseless dream.
The only true answer to those questions can some when we face some honest facts about ourselves.
It's one thing to be lucky and get granted a wish, but it's another thing altogether to sustain it for a long period.
I've been playing music for alot of years and I often wonder why, and how some bands and singers make it and some don't.
What I realize is that some of these folks used those life lines to shore them up when they felt as though they were going to falter.They took the love and encouragement that they were given by loved ones to help steer them to their destinations.
Many is the time when I have to call for my life lines to pick me up, but I'm thankful that as I sail on my ocean, my life lines keep me bouyant.
I also realize that there are folks who are in dire need of a life line. Those folks live by the seat of their pants and hope that someone will come along and rescue them...that's delusional, especially if you know better....one does not get on a boat without some form of protection,nor would you jump out of plane without a parachute.
So why on earth would you live so vicariously?
I think that so many of us hope for the best but don't prepare for it.
Over the years that I've been a Carpenter Ant member, I used to simply get annoyed with our direction, but I started having various revelations about it too. I realize that what we're doing is preparing. This doesn't mean that we're poised to become big stars ( that could be percieved as delusional...), but that we're open to, at this stage of our lives any greater possiblity. In short we perform more than any band around here that I know of, we've gotten some great notariety. All by living in the real world. We do what we do as a group, if we don't like a particular style, we simply try something else.
Let's face it, alot of bands and singers don't have that luxury. Most bands have to labor through the holidays away from family and friends. We have the luxury to slow down during that time. It's really cool.
So while I still dream of bigger stages, I'm not sweating the smaller ones, and I'm saving my life lines for the things that are truly necessary...living in life.
I hope that all of you have a wonderful holiday season. I look forward to seeing and hearing from you.
Just remember...
Support Live music today tomorrow and always.