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Hello and welcome back!
It has been some time since my last entry and I am happy to be back and sharing my experiences and I insights with you.
It has been a long and tough summer but all this lead me also to new heights, insights and also tested my patience and strength. Perhaps you don’t know what lead me to start writing this blog. I had a running accident and broke my left clavicle bone. It is a complicated break and the injury lead to writing about all my challenges that I had in my life and how I overcame them. I hope by reading about my life and challenges I can help you in overcoming your own challenges or just give comfort.
I had the accident about 2 weeks before I was supposed to leave for 2 months to teach at Berklee College of Music and I was very concerned about my ability to teach, perform and serve as a role model for my students. As the time came closer to leave for Berklee I was very conflicted and also, honestly, very depressed as playing guitar and making music is a very important and intimate part of my being. I decided to go and find my strength while hopefully healing and regaining my strength and confidence. Upon my arrival in Boston, I felt a new surge of energy but also fear….will I be ok? Will I be good enough? I settled into my summer quickly and everyone at Berklee was concerned , helpful, supporting, and kind to me.
The first 2 weeks were the hardest as I had to get adjusted to being active again, walking, taking the train and slowly starting to play guitar again as my mobility of my left arm came back and my range of motion was being restored. Luckily, my hands and technique were strong and on a very high plateau. I had no time to waste since I had full schedule and several clinics and gigs to play.
During this time, I gained a different attitude and perspective. I tried to let things go, focused on good thoughts and healing and open up my mind to new perspectives but also let go of bad thoughts, needs and wants. To clean my mind and heart of the things that one thinks are important but are truly of no meaning and that certainly made me sometimes into bad person. Being made aware of these things are extremely humbling and painful but I think this is an important process in growing to become a better person and hopefully a better musician.
Sometimes, when my energies where low, because I tend to give myself 100% to a task, it was difficult to keep a good energy flowing and I found myself in deep negative thoughts. But ultimately, I think this is all a process of learning and understanding oneself.
I focused on what is important and on not dwelling in the negative thoughts that can consume one.
The challenges were great during my summer but I stayed focused on the tasked, and didn’t let anyone down, no matter what challenge was presented to me. There were many moments of smiles, laughter and the feeling that what I do is not forgotten and appreciated, especially when a student or fan walks up to you and tells you how much your music and playing means to them. This has happened to me numerous times at Berklee, or on the streets of any city and even in airports around the world.
And I even managed to impress Mike Stern a bit and show him a lick during my clinic at Berklee’s BPC while he was warming up in the green room.
Here is a little snap shot before a show at the Berklee Performance Center
Ultimately, I learnt that my journey isn’t over yet but merely just begun and no matter what, I go my way, my way…..
On a side-note, my clavicle bone is still broken after 3 months but I won’t let this deter me from beginning my running training again and of course making music and touring again.
In my next Blog I will pick up with my story again where I left off in my 8th installment.
Thank you for reading and I hope this gives you inspiration and positive motivation to deal with life and events. Feel free to comment, share or just email me at lightspeeder1@mac.com
For more info, please visit my website
The Lightspeeder's Universe 