Mandela and the Jazz Concert

  I don't think I could ever do Nelson Mandela any justice in a simple blog post because the simple fact of the matter is that we need to live fearlessly like he did. I am sure he had his faults, just like every human does. But there are very few people in our lives that have the capability to reach across countries and time to teach about strength, faith, and love.
  I come across people everyday whose light is dim. Very dim. Their soul is lost. To what? That I do not know. I do know that I am surrounded by a sea of lost souls starving for a direction. They are atheists, they are Christians, they are your uncle, your sister, your next door neighbor, or your grocery store clerk. They are not just tired. They are drained and weary.
  They are storing the worst energy one could carry with them, negative energy. They carry anxiety, depression, confusion, and anger. I am not sure if I can pinpoint the cause to one particular thing in our society. It may be very personal. The problem with negativity is that it can spread like a disease and corrupt everything that comes near it.
  The good thing is that positive energy can do the same thing. It is not easy work to be a conduit of positive energy and we are prone to the same negativity that anyone else is. However, the key is recognizing when the negativity begins and ending it before it goes too far. Recuperating from negativity can take from mere minutes, for those that can find it immediately, to several years when the cause is obtuse. I have gone from not seeing it for years, to being able to work through it within hours. I am working on getting it down to minutes.
  There is also an understanding that you need to recharge the batteries. Positive people expend a lot of positive energy everyday. I won't be worried if you fall off the face of the earth for a day or two. Recharging is important since you carry the armor that fights against negativity daily.
  I am tired tonight but it is a good tired. A spent tired rather than exhausted tired. I enjoy playing again in front of people. I may have had a couple of solos but I did not play for me. I played for you. I played for the people that attend these events and enjoyed them. It gives me a chance to meet people. It also gives me a chance to re-meet old friends and acquaintances. I came across a pastor friend who admitted he was in the middle of his own divorce. In a matter of moments, I saw opportunities for him that never existed before. The chance to really impact society without having fear of the consequences of his decisions where his family is concerned. The kids are in college and he is back to working on his PhD. I wish him luck and I know I will see him again soon because people like to talk to me about everything. Even more so when I don't ask them anything. But that is what I am here for, to be a guide when you need it the most.