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Lessons in Memories
Sep. 11th, 2009 09:10 amEight years ago the social value of my profession was driven home to me for the first time. After four days of relentless media bombardment, constantly replaying the images of the towers falling, we were all stunned, hurt, and wounded. As a response, the audiences at renaissance festivals across the country were huge as people desperately sought an escape. And that is what I offer the world, escapism for the length of a tune or a conversation, and for as long as their memories remain fresh.
Performing in Louisiana after Katrina was a very similar experience, but it was 9/11 that drove it all home to me. I was not, as some detractors insisted, wasting my life and energy on frivolity. Frivolity is a desperately underestimated and unfairly denigrated trait in our “enlightened” society, and we are poorer for that.
On a personal note, 9/11 was also what showed to me that the “safe” and “secure” paths were no such things. The victims had “normal” jobs, and some were undoubtedly postponing their own dreams until the “time was right”, but were robbed of all opportunity that Tuesday morning. It occurred to me that if security was an illusion I would be better off embracing uncertainty and following my dream while I had the chance.
The recent financial crisis and stock market retirement losses brought all this to me once again when I heard “how can this happen, I did everything I was supposed to do?!” Life is a daily leap of faith, even when this goes unacknowledged, and failure is always a possibility. Keep your eyes open, head high, and boldly walk into your own future. Carpe diem, because Fortune favors the bold.
Performing in Louisiana after Katrina was a very similar experience, but it was 9/11 that drove it all home to me. I was not, as some detractors insisted, wasting my life and energy on frivolity. Frivolity is a desperately underestimated and unfairly denigrated trait in our “enlightened” society, and we are poorer for that.
On a personal note, 9/11 was also what showed to me that the “safe” and “secure” paths were no such things. The victims had “normal” jobs, and some were undoubtedly postponing their own dreams until the “time was right”, but were robbed of all opportunity that Tuesday morning. It occurred to me that if security was an illusion I would be better off embracing uncertainty and following my dream while I had the chance.
The recent financial crisis and stock market retirement losses brought all this to me once again when I heard “how can this happen, I did everything I was supposed to do?!” Life is a daily leap of faith, even when this goes unacknowledged, and failure is always a possibility. Keep your eyes open, head high, and boldly walk into your own future. Carpe diem, because Fortune favors the bold.
