I started to write this article a few times now and have come to understand that I really just want one thing – to let you know that you are not alone in looking for purpose. I want to do this by sharing some massive changes in my life and how circumstances forced me to make choices I wish I had made earlier.
I always thought I had chosen music as a career because I had to, because it was in my blood, because I loved music with my heart and soul. but that wasn’t it. In reality, it kind of fell into my lap, and I had a deep desire to be… cool.
The cool factor, like many of the things driving our actions, came from a lack… a lack of ‘cool’ early on in my life. I was that super dork who liked studying, who started a conservation club, who was co-president of the drama club, and ran cross country. And as for the boys I dated… oh wait, there were none. I had crushes on guys who never looked my way.
My dad going slalom on the Hudson river.
My dad, though…he was cool. That I knew. He water skied, restored classic cars, played the upright bass, and – even though he never studied piano – he could sit at it and just play. He’d listen to all of my songs and mixes and live performances and have the most insightful comments. There were very few of them, as he wasn’t a verbose man, but when he spoke, it was gentle, true, and to the point. Continue reading →