In My Mind’s Zen Garden

[ This post is part of The February 2008 RBJ Collaboration ]

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I just got back from a gig with Donnie and Gary at this retirement home, where we performed the old standard songs that the senior citizens here could really appreciate. I’ve played so many gigs where the band was just background music… ambience.

Here, these old folks had set up chairs like it was a rock concert, and anticipated our performance. When I thought it would be another gig in the background.

And they really loved us and they loved the music. Us musicians had the greatest time. There was no need to prove ourselves, nor was their a need to show off our superiority on our instruments. It was just pure natural fun… No pressures. No animosity. No stress.

Just love for playing the music. Love for playing our instruments. And Love for playing together as a group.

It’s nice to be loved. It feels good to be treated as if we were royalty and respected for what we do.

It got me thinking about that song by The Beatles, “All You Need Is Love”.

When you think about it, the only times in life that really ever mattered were when there existed Love… between two people… between friends… a sincere Love for music… a simple Love of things, like a walk through a meadow, or along the beach… sharing Love and time between family and friends.

Many times in life… in this world… it’s sometimes hard to come by. Especially in a world where people blame each other, or accuse one another of doing wrong… people who expect certain things from others… or go out of their way to find fault in someone.

The truth is…

All You Need Is Love!

When did anything else ever matter?