The Call of Something More

I’m making space for the unknown future to fill up my life with yet-to-come surprises.
Elizabeth Gilbert

I have to admit – I was never a big Madonna fan.

However, while I have always admired her determination and hutzpah, I have really appreciated her ability to keep reinventing hers
elf. In a business that wants everyone (especially women) to stay young and perfect looking forever, she has broken molds and redefined herself over the years to stay current and successful.

I had a moment of thinking of this idea, of reinvention, when the UPS truck pulled up to my house yesterday. Three large boxes of my CDs (now obsolete since people don’t buy CDs very much anymore) and songbooks were all being returned to me from the main distributors of my music for the last 15 years. There was no fanfare, no letter saying thanks for doing business with us, have a good life – just the reality that my “old” way of making music and putting it out into the world has changed and that’s that.

I remember years ago, when I was making my living singing at private parties, I went to an event where many Bay Area musicians were present. Everyone was complaining about not having as many gigs anymore because DJ’s were getting all the work. I heard all these people whining and thought to myself that I could either complain and try to resist this, or realize that times were a’changin’ and I better get off this train, jump on another one, and take some new action steps. It’s summed up best by my favorite quote from Byron Katie: “When you argue with reality, you lose, but only 100% of the time.”

So I am now once again in the mystery – that place where I know the tides are turning and that there is a new direction, but I’m not quite sure where the path will lead. I have been here before and I am sure I will be here again. It feels like the whole world is in this place right now – lots of changes and confusion – but I’m trusting that a new direction will be revealed. Years ago I wrote a song called “The Call of Something More” where one of the lines says “I feel the call of something more – the call to be someone I’ve never been before… and it’s asking me – what am I here for? …”

So this is where I am – a new vista, a new beginning, a new way to figure out how and where to do my music and trusting new paths will be revealed.

What about you? Is something calling you?