Being ALL that you can Be

 I was at the #ShoutMovement last Sunday watching people from the film and music industries speaking, and you notice one thing… they are all passionate about their craft.  The hard part is that art is subjective; one man’s Beethoven is another man’s Slipknot.  This uncertainty drives most parents to discourage their children from being involved in it, bless their hearts.  Always remember that they ONLY want what’s BEST.

 So this brings me to Reza Salleh’s comment that most people fall into the arts by mistake, not by design… especially their parent’s design.  This is so true their parents and teachers want them to be doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants some profession where you can be comfortable, maybe not happy, but comfortable.  

Our education system also doesn't help that it’s academically driven, only caring about how many A1’s you get not if you’re a natural born performer or athlete.  Not everyone is an academic some of us learn better when we’re being creative. Yes, I’m a right brainer…

In more mature communities, school recognize that when you have certain talents/interests they channel you into different specialized classes yet encourage you to score a minimum in regular studies to continue to be “on the team” or “represent your school/country”.  This is a good way of hanging a carrot to keep up in academics but allowing you pursue your talent.

Finally a personal story which I been witness to.  A musician friend (who shall remain nameless) was sent abroad to do business studies but wanted SO much to be a musician so he quit without his parents knowledge and joined a music school. His parents where livid when they found out and withdrew their support, so he had to fund his way through, music school in Berklee.  He graduated and came back and worked his way up, step by step, from the bottom.  His parents did not recognized his ability and talent.   

He worked hard and was recognized for his work as a sessionist, arranger and producer of some of the biggest names in the business.  He had also won a number of prestigious awards but his parents never came to offer support or celebrate his achievements and speaking to him, as I always noticed he came alone to these events, he always brushed it off lightly but I knew that inside it mattered.   

One day after 3-4 years of being one of the best musicians in the business his parents decided to come to one of the award shows.  For the first time I saw how truly happy he was and when I met his parents at the post award press conference (he had won best musical arrangement) and told them that they must be proud of their son, you could see the respect and pride they had for him and as they stood together I thought, “Wow! That’s the first time I had seen a win truly mean something to him".  He worked hard to be the best at what he loved and to finally get his parents support and recognition was his BIGGEST reward.

He still is one of many of us that are professionals in the music business that make a more than decent living, able to look after our families comfortably.  And by the way we DO what we love and someone pays us for it.

This story left a BIG impression on me.  Some people search all their lives, some just know what they were put on this earth for… always follow your heart and be ALL that you can be…

Peace. Love and Respect

P/s :

To my friend Reza Salleh, talented singer, composer, music entrepreneur -  Congratulations on 7 years of  “Moonshine” (An ALL IMPORTANT performance showcase platform for solos/bands/songwriters/experimental music both new and experienced) and on choosing “the musical path” may it reward you and your talent with happiness and security.