Yesterday’s focus was on the struggle to be heard in this rambunctious and contentious world of ours. I have an important message to convey, after all — Love God and love your neighbor — and I want it to be heard.
Today, I wonder: Is more important to hear than to be heard? to listen than to speak?
“God gave you two ears and one mouth, and they should be used in approximately that proportion,” a wise someone said some time ago, and the advice has been passed through the ages.
The carpenter’s wisdom is “Measure twice, cut once.” So it might be with words. Measure the words you hear to make sure you understand; then, and only then, cut — that is, respond, choose not to speak, or otherwise act as your measurements require. Perhaps that is what it means to “speak in measured tones.”
It seems to me that listening to my neighbors may be the best way to love them.
My dreams of reaching thousands with my words and/or music, or selling enough books and recordings to live on — well, they remain just dreams.
“Tell a story,” my self-editor murmurs. “People want to hear a story.” But the audience dips for the posts with an ongoing story, if I am to believe the almighty ANALYTICS.
My main story and message are about finally hearing the still, small voice whispering, “Love God and love your neighbor as yourself — upon these two commandments lays the whole of the law.”
And every day the news couriers relay word of a neglected God and hate for our neighbors — and few are as hateful as the ones who point their fingers and accuse their neighbors of hatred and bigotry, so blind they cannot see their own hatred and their flaming bigotry.
Yet I have no more right to be heard than anyone else. There is a board in my eye, so how can I criticize the speck in my neighbor’s eye? “You started it!” we shout at each other. “When your guy does it, you don’t think there’s anything wrong with it,” and round and round we go and no one listens.
I would rather tell stories and make music, and listen to stories and other people’s songs. I would rather be “too busy singing to put anybody down.” Is that any way to be heard?
Is it that important to be heard? Well, yes, if I want people to hear that beautiful still, small voice with its important message. We are all neighbors, remember. You do remember, don’t you? Under all the shouting is that most important whisper: We are all neighbors.
The latest social media “thing” is a tic-tac-toe grid of nine record album covers with the label “My 9 Albums.” The idea is to show the nine albums that best explain your listening life — some people use the subtitle “Nine albums that made me.”
As a chronic listener, I would probably be lost if I had to choose only nine albums that changed the trajectory of my life. Let me consult the Wayback Machine …
The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert – Benny Goodman
Neil Sedaka Sings His Greatest Hits – Neil Sedaka
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – The Beatles
On the Threshold of a Dream – The Moody Blues
Headquarters – The Monkees
The Beatles (The White Album)
Ladies of the Canyon – Joni Mitchell
John B. Sebastian
Bayou Country – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Led Zeppelin IV
Blue – Joni Mitchell
Thick As A Brick – Jethro Tull
Cosmo’s Factory – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Uncle Charlie and His Dog Teddy – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Judee Sill
Paralellograms – Linda Perhacs
John Kongos
Will the Circle Be Unbroken – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Friends
Bachman Turner Overdrive
Not Fragile – Bachman Turner Overdrive
Band on the Run – Paul McCartney & Wings
Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
Songs From the Wood – Jethro Tull
Star Wars soundtrack – John Williams
Age to Age – Amy Grant
E.T. the Extraterrestrial soundtrack – John Williams
More Power to Ya – Petra
Sunday’s Child – Phil Keaggy
Crimson and Blue – Phil Keaggy
Wildflowers – Tom Petty
Cracked Rear View – Hootie & the Blowfish
Mirror Ball – Neil Young
Conversations – Sara Groves
Imagination – Brian Wilson
O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack
Brian Wilson Presents Smile
Add to the Beauty – Sara Groves
Circlin’ Back – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Friends
Know – Jason Mraz
Dandelion – Ella Langley
See what I mean? I could come up with nine albums that boggled my mind without leaving the sixties. I could write a post about how each of these albums blew me away — in many cases I already have. And I’m pretty sure I have forgotten a dozen or so albums that belong on this list.
But it’s a fun exercise and a good reminder of the value of the album as a music form. Now that I think of it, maybe I’ll fire up the turntable for a few hours.
