Freely Give
I once heard a pastor—a former hip hop star—say that music can be so powerful, certain beats can even cause you to dance in ways you didn’t even know you could dance.
I’ve had the pleasure of being on both the giving and receiving end of that type of musical experience; not so much in the dancing (though I love to dance), but in the compelling nature of the music and its powerful effect on me and others.
My bands and I have received compliments many times in the past after performances, and we always deeply appreciate them. This one was particularly special to me.
I was performing a concert with my old folk/bluegrass band called the Gatekeepers back in April of 2014 at a restaurant in Stockton, CA called Whirlow’s. While we were performing, I noticed a woman sitting in the very back, watching us with a very straight and stoic look on her face. The Gatekeepers played for about an hour, and the entire time we did, she was unmoved; just sitting in the back… staring… looking very indifferent, and even annoyed from my interpretation.
The expression on this mystery woman’s face was something that almost became a distraction for me until I decided to ignore her and focus on the show. But in my ignoring her, I had mentally dismissed her as uninterested. I figured maybe she had to be there for some reason, and the only reason she didn’t wait outside was because it was too cold or something.
I was very wrong.
After the show was over, I saw her walk over to my sister, Leah, who is one of the singer-songwriters for the Gatekeepers. I saw them speak briefly, but didn’t think much of it. I greeted the woman from afar with a smile and nod and continued chatting with some of the other people who came to see us.
After the room cleared out, as my band and I were clearing the stage, my sister came to me and handed me a note and told me “that lady in the back said to give this to you.”
The note read:
“Thank you for your inspiration. Truthfully I’ve been feeling low these days. Your music was the bright spot in my day. I have depression and I’m grateful to see there are people who still have so much spirit left inside to share.”
That moment taught me two things:
I really shouldn’t judge a book by its cover (that was more of a reminder).
I have to simultaneously attach myself to my work enough to connect with my audience, but detach myself enough to present it without worrying about how it will be received.
That second one is still not an easy one for me, but I believe I have gotten much better since that moment in 2014. It can also be applied to so many avenues; not just music. For those of us who are creators—either of music, visual art, dance, words, film, etc.—I think a worthy goal to strive toward is one that has a perfect balance of creating something that speaks to the very soul of the receivers, without fear of maybe losing some, or even all of them.
What a responsibility we have as creators. What a daily opportunity we have to impact the world around us. Some of us have the power to do great or terrible things. The gift we have can be used to encourage a man to kill his fellow man; or it can be used to back someone away from a ledge.
A gift is not meant to be flaunted, flexed, or kept private. It is meant to be shared. And whether someone passes a note to you or not, know that you sharing your G-d-given gift is stirring someone’s soul like yours once was.
Share your gift.
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,
drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
-Matthew 10:8