Playing for Change
Today, on Twitter, @bytera shared a video link with me. I agree with Jesus Diaz at Gizmodo.com – it is the best version of Ben E. King’s Stand By Me I’ve ever heard. Listening to it now for the 10th time, I am no less impacted by the raw emotion, the passion, the humanity of the song. I am uplifted and encouraged and hopeful that perhaps this small planet of ours has a chance to overcome greed and malice and hate and bigotry.
It affects me on many levels. Personally, it reminds me I am not alone. There are things I face now and have faced unknown to even my family. Things I don’t write here because it’s not time and I’m not comfortable with that level of sharing. Also – It reminds me of why I love to sing and how, if I were offered the choice, I would rather sing with these artists than Beyonce or Etta James or even Aretha Franklin. And I would be supremely honored for the chance.
There’s a thread that runs through us all. As it passes from soul to soul, the thread becomes a cord. The cord becomes a rope and, whether we know it or realize it, we are all connected. We are bound. It is the thread of humanity. It’s deeper and richer than the cars we drive, the money we waste or the money we need. It surpasses the beauty of a Degas or the sound of Mozart, though both reflect our need and hunger to reach and touch and feel this connection.
Some of us are numb to this. Some of us have forgotten. But the connection is there and when we put down our weapons and our words and our hate, we find we have more in common than the things that divide us. We find that vegan and carnivore, black and white or brown, rich or poor – these are only labels. They are things that do not give true value or meaning to a soul.
For what is a soul? Who can define it and capture the full, complete essence of what it means to be a part of the human race? Who can look at the little girl of Ethiopia, distended belly and scarred legs, and not realize her beauty, her worth? Who can look into the eyes of the elderly man, brain riddled by dementia, hair grayed and frizzy and confined to a nursing home bed and not acknowledge that he too needs – deserves – respect, care and dignity?
If we do have a chance to unite our planet, if there is ever any hope of ‘mostly’ overcoming or bridging cultural divides or finding peace, it will only happen when we recognize, honor and value the connection we all have. It will come when we remind ourselves of the power of love and friendship and respect and when we allow those things, those values, to guide us. It will come when we demand our politicians remove themselves from greed and power and lead with respect, dignity and love.
I know and I can hear the voices of those who say it will never, can never, be done. And my response is just because the outcome seems improbable and the road long and the effort nearly fruitless – just because the right way is not the easy way doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be our ideal. It doesn’t mean we should give up, lay down and allow greed and evil his way. Because, just maybe, we can do enough and be enough to really make a difference in our world.
Thank you, @bytera, for expanding my world today and helping me see the possibilities of a world united.
About the video: (From Youtube.com) http://playingforchange.com - From the award-winning documentary, “Playing For Change: Peace Through Music”, comes the first of many “songs around the world” being released independently. Featured is a cover of the Ben E. King classic by musicians around the world adding their part to the song as it travelled the globe.
Order the CD/DVD Playing For Change “Songs Around The World” now at amazon.com!
http://tinyurl.com/c6mhgd
The Playing For Change “Songs Around The World” CD/DVD is now available at your neighborhood Starbucks and everywhere music is sold.
Order the “Stand By Me,” “Don’t Worry,” “One Love,” and “War/No More Trouble” videos and the new Songs Around The World album now at itunes!
http://tinyurl.com/pfcitunes
Sign up at http://playingforchange.com for updates and exclusive content. You can also buy cool stuff in our new online store!
Join the Playing for Change Online Street Team at:
http://ufanz.com/teams/playingforchange
Join the Movement to help build schools, connect students, and inspire communities in need through music.
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April 30th, 2009 at 11:58 am
Such a beautiful video, and an equally poignant post by Tawnya. It’s sad to say, but we are born connected, yet learn to disconnect as we grow up. The walls of race, religion, politics and nationality divide us in ways that were never meant to be.
But the happy truth, is that we have the power to change that. At the core of my Global Patriot project is the message that we are one people on this planet, and that we need to shift our consciousness to the point where our thoughts, words and actions reflect that fact.
To paraphrase Tawnya, “We should not give up, or lay down and allow greed and evil his way.” We’re better than that, and working together we can change for the better!
April 30th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Thanks! I knew you could relate based on our conversations and your website, Global Patriot. I think everyone should swing by and check it out.
May 16th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Nice post – and very true. We are connected. Anyone who doubts that has been sleeping through this economic crisis!
May we live to see the end of pridefulness, greed, and “self” over all behavior.