The Bird Sings Because it has a Song

The free bird thinks of another breeze

and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees

and the fat worms waiting on a down bright lawn

and he names the sky his own

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams

his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream

his wings are clipped and his feet are tied

so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings

with a fearful trill

of things unknown

but longed for still

and his tune is heard

on the distant hill

for the caged bird

sings of freedom

- Maya Angelou

WEEKLY AFFIRMATION

Affirmation: I understand who I am even if I don’t understand everything that is happening in the world around me. I am comfortable and solid with me.

Nothing around us feels solid right now. We don’t know if we should stay inside or go outside; go back to work, if we will have a job, or if it’s time to change careers; if we should schedule events or cancel events we’ve already scheduled; when the health and financial crisis will improve. The world doesn’t feel solid. But if you think about it; you’ve never really known what the world is going to bring you from day to day. The world has never been solid -- not really. It’s you who has worked to become the realized, self-aware, strong person that you are. You have gotten yourself through all the other tough situations you’ve had to face in life; and you will get yourself through this one. You may not have all the answers. You are not expected to. But you have you; and that is your strength.

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ALVIN KING

ALVIN KING

Trumpeter, Band Leader & Composer

Playing and performing is a need for musicians.

I have musician friends all over the country; and we are all itching to play. We are having telephone and facetime concerts with each other. I have a good buddy in New Orleans. He will play the piano and I will play the trumpet.

I play for my family all the time. I’m always asking them to check out something I’m working on. They like listening but they should be sick of it. My 14-year-old daughter plays violin. Sometimes she will join in. I’ll give her a simple melody; and we will play together. My son messes around with the piano. I may film the three of us doing a trio. My wife isn’t a musician, but she played the clarinet when we were in school, so she appreciates all of the music surrounding her in our home.

I’ve also been hosting mini-concerts in my backyard. There’s a nook where I can park my car, open the doors, play the backing-tracks and play the horn. Most of the neighbors don’t know where the music is coming from; but a few have walked up and told me that they thought it was coming from the radio or something. I think it has uplifted people. They get to hear live music; and I get to scratch that itch of the
need to play.

One day, back in September, when I was driving home from work, I was humming the baseline to a song. I could hear the other instruments in my head. When I got home, I spent approximately 5 hours on GarageBand (which is like a personal studio) making the song. The song kept evolving over several months. I was going to release it during the summer because it sounds like a feel-good summer hit -- but then this pandemic came. This pandemic is dividing people. There is a lot of miscommunication, suffering, and death. If we don’t come together and handle things the right way, we are going to suffer even longer. This song’s message is about love and unity. It’s about sending love to an individual, the circle around you and the world. It is a song about love. It is a song that says in spite of everything, “I love you.” It is a song of unwavering optimism in this plight against humanity.