In this episode - Watching the Wheels . . .
In last week’s episode, we revisited John Lennon’s Imagine. He’s been gone for over 43 years, but his impact still lives on through his music. Don’t believe me; think about this; Another hallmark of music is it seduces you into listening again and again, planting a catchy melody and words into your subconscious mind. And as you circumnavigate life, accumulated experiences provide new meaning to what, on the surface, appear to be just words.
However, through a fusion of these experiences, emotion, rhythm, and repetition, the simplicity of the language takes on new meaning. For example, let’s examine the tune Watching the Wheels - reading the lyrics, how do you relate to them?
Doing what I’m doing.”
What’s happening in your life right now? As an adult, you’ve established your independent daily routines, and your life has many different facets apart from anyone else. Of course, others have their contradictory opinions.
“Well, they give me all kinds of warnings
To save me from ruin
When I say that I’m okay, well, they look at me kinda strange
“Surely, you’re not happy now; you no longer play the game.”
Have you changed jobs, retired, or maybe you recently realized that playing the game of getting ahead (whatever that means), a promotion, a luxury car, or more money is not what life's about? Then you're labeled.
"People say I’m lazy
Dreaming my life away
Well, they give me all kinds of advice
Designed to enlighten me."
Lazy, huh? I’ve discovered that the most prolific people who have their creative life in balance are far from lazy. They are the early risers who make lists and take the time to think about how they can best serve others through creative outlets discovered through persistent effort. They set goals. Some refer to this as work, while others call it living in the moment - flow.
“When I tell them that I’m doing fine watching shadows on the wall
“Don’t you miss the big-time boy; you’re no longer on the ball?”
I’m just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love to watch them roll."
Yes, my 30+ years of service with GIA was the BIG time in my life. I’m no longer riding that wheel, as Lennon says it;
“No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just had to let it go
Ah, people asking questions
Lost in confusion
Well, I tell them there’s no problem
Only solutions
Well, they shake their heads, and they look at me as if I’ve lost my mind
I tell them there’s no hurry; I’m just sitting here doing time.”
Are you Doing Time? My listening friends, the pessimist, approaches their work just that way. A jail sentence. I challenge you to be creative; time is all we have. You can waste it or build something that makes your heart sing. Maybe it’s photography, music, poetry, tinkering, woodworking, writing, reading to children, or a podcast; the possibilities are infinite.
"I’m just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love to watch them roll
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just had to let it go
I just had to let it go
I just had to let it go."
Let the past go; today is a new day, prodding you to Be all you can Be—an opportunity to test your creative imagination. The world plays no favorites. It does not care about what you’re doing; wake up; most people are wrapped up in their insular world.
Discover the work that continues to move you emotionally and intellectually; in turn, you will serve others helping you.
I’m Patrick Ball; thanks for listening; see you in the next episode.
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