The Summer of Peace and Love!

So, did you click on this because of the title? I hope so and I hope that it means that Peace and Love are something you are very interested in. I know I am and there are a lot of other musicians and music fans that feel the same way. I think there are a lot of us that wish we had been there for the summer of love in the 60’s…. but we seem to be a small group.

I know there are those that will say “HEY! I’m all about peace and love” with the strongest of convictions. But it seems like that group can be very quick to turn on someone that has a differing opinion. That doesn’t seem like sharing love to me if you only love those that agree with you and it certainly doesn’t make for any kind of peaceful co-existance.

I wish I could single out one certain group of people that are guilty but the truth is of late we all are. Lots of you will whole heartedly agree with that until it comes time to take a deep look inside and be honest with yourself. Are you capable of being honest with yourself? Can you take an objective look at your inner being and have an honest conversation with your self?

As a songwriter I’m forced to be honest with myself and sometimes I don’t like what I’m forced to put into words and music because of it. In fact, it’s really uncomfortable. Not so much because of some deep dark inner turmoil but because of how people would perceive me when confronted with my innermost secrets and the internal conversation that is continously running in my over active brain. It’s because there are things about me and some of the things I’ve done that I’m not particularly proud of. Those are the things we tend to try and hide from others and from our selves.

I’m becoming of the mindset that we can’t show peace and love to others if we don’t have it within ourselves and having that as a part of your being means being honest with yourself and that inner conversation that many of us have going on inside.

How does this relate to music?

This is in many ways what music is for me. I’ll probably never be “popular” or “famous” because just writing catchy phrases that sound commercial and might provide great income or even wealth doesn’t seem like being honest to me. In fact, it seems to me, approaching songwriting with an eye towards accumulating wealth is in and of its self dishonest. For me, I want to be able to live with my music and enjoy it. I guess there are those that will argue that if it makes you a bunch of money then it’s going to be really easy to live with. Does that leave a bad taste in your mouth because it does mine.

So…. do something hard. Go out and show some peace and love to someone you don’t really like very much. If you’re of a more liberal persuasion then pick a conservative. If you’re more conservative then choose to show some of that peace and love to a liberal. Pick someone with which you have some really strong disagreements with.

You’ll be a better person for it and so will the world. AND if we all approach our lives that way then Peace and Love won’t just be for a summer. Peace and Love will be forever!