The music is the experience that is enjoyed and the story that is written when one’s passions, ideals, conscience, and core values intersect, collide, and crescendo in this world we exist in.
Running in circles of noise, often missing the point, it never hurts to get back to, define, and remember the point of it all.
The point is your music and your music is the point: our gift to receive and the fulfillment of your days.
A cliché or cliche is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has become overused to the point of losing its original meaning, or effect, and even, to the point of being trite or irritating, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel.
The first problem with the concept of cliché is that those that claim something to be cliché are the non-believers. They probably never tried whatever they’re mocking and, in doing so, have never tasted, seen, and experienced its fruit and/or benefit. The second problem is that they want to put their disbelief on you. If they don’t believe, then you shouldn’t either.
Here’s the catch…
There will come a day when you offer the world your music and, probably, most will claim your venture into such creativity and offering to the world to be cliché.
However, part of music being music is that it’s not for the masses and some will call it noise. It’s for the unique few…even if that means millions…it’s not for billions.
Part of the richness of life are those joy swapping moments with the people who believe what you believe and that rally behind, around, and in your music.
Outsiders will call letting your music play cliché.
We’ll call it fulfillment.
The Internet has made us more cognizant our joy/happiness or lack thereof than ever before.
Collectively, we spend billions of hours locked into the small screens on our desks or in our palms watching the highlight reels of people we really don’t know.
We see their sepia filtered moments, compare it to our Sochi-filled night, and, in doing so, feel…less. Less fulfilled. Empty of excitement. Low on joy.
We don’t do this on purpose and it was never the goal of the medium’s creator(s). It has just become the norm of what such mediums now hold and when everyone on the planet owns their own media company (and they do now), eventually, “look at me” becomes the chorus of the music the masses posts.
Constant comparison is the hidden thief of our divine moments. Secret: there’s no such thing as a moment that’s not divine.
Click your own like button and see the three-dimensional world before through your own filters.
Then report back and change us.
I bet we’ll click your like button too.
…you left to get a little more grip.
…you left to get a little more light.
…you left to get a little more meaning.
Sure you can text, tweet, email, vine, post, poke, and pin until your thumbs are blue. But I think you want more and I think deep down you know that an artist’s calloused thumb holds more value than one that is digitally bruised.
So today, as you leave your homes may you enter the world and open the doors that open your eyes that opens your life to all that this place is and is meant to be.
Look up and look out.
The way Norah Jones finishes her lyrics.
The way Seth Godin gets us to the point.
The way that one friend cares.
The way Ralph Waldo Emerson shared his awareness.
The way Sinatra did it his way.
The way a mother just knows.
The way a coach believes.
The way Apple designs.
The way that one person gave you a chance.
The way that you experienced that caused you to never be the same.
And then there’s the way you do that special thing you were sent here to do.
Which leads us back to that comma conversation. Be a way that paves the way for another’s way.
We’re all in this together. I for you and you for me.
Ashton.Gustafson 