Do you wish to be great? Then begin by being. Do you desire to construct a vast and lofty fabric? Think first about the foundations of humility. The higher your structure is to be, the deeper must be its foundation.
– Saint Augustine
After some soul searching in the past few days, I put my mind onto this vastly sensed word, “Foundations”, as a theme for the new song list, with many of its layers of interpretation and applicability. It was a little bit challenging for me to connect this concept with enough songs that get to express the whole spectrum of senses.
But then again, every person has their own version of “a good living”, everyone is built differently, right? So all I can do is look into my own perception of what makes a good foundation for life and maybe others will find bits & pieces of inspiration for their own story.
Building our core through music
For this edition of the Monthly Soundlust, I looked for songs that speak about life values and experiences that form us into being better humans, both to ourselves and to others and the world; songs that connect us spiritually, that remind us to look for answers within our hearts; songs that pump our veins with beautiful energy, from inspiring lyrics and mellow sounds, to choruses that bring rhythm to our hearts, to melodies that flow through our wires, eyes closed, hearts open.
“Our lives will live in the gardens we’ve grown
Calling what’s coming clear
Our will is held in the seeds we’ve sown
As light from the sun we can give
As rivers meeting can become one
Walk toward the call of this
And plant it deep for the ones to come” (Seeds, by Ayla Nereo)
They say that our foundation is usually built during our young and very young years. I mostly agree with that, but I also think we humans are flexible beings and, as long as we keep our curiosity and willingness to evolve active, learning never actually stops. And music is one of the most precious channels of learning about the world, past and present.
By investing in ourselves with knowledge, our basis becomes better and better, just like a crop becomes richer and grows sturdier with good care and nourishment. It really is the purpose of a lifetime, to never take anything for granted and to accept that even something as solid and permanent as a foundation can leave room for improvement and more learning.
I remember singing “We are the world” as it was playing on MTV when I was a child or listening to John Lennon’s “Imagine” on an old cassette. I had always appreciated their beautiful lyrics and melody, and the message of love they both sent out, but only as I kept learning about the world and human nature, my depth of understanding was becoming greater.
As we embark in our personal inner journey, it is only natural that we get to explore and find new layers of ourselves, our own “stairway to heaven”.
There are a few things that I wish each blessed soul in this world would come closer to and embrace in their own journeys. A few things like love and kindness, like a tad more gratitude and tolerance, like being humble and more honest with ourselves and each other. I wish that our lives would stand stronger on these foundations, rather than on hatred, jealousy, shame and other demons that sometimes make this world close to an unbearable place.
“We arе on born on our own
And we die on our own
And we’rе here to make meanin’
Of what happens in between
We could hate, we could love
We could doubt, we could trust
But we’re here to make meanin’
For as long as we’re breathin’” (Authors of Forever, by Alicia Keys)
To me, living a life filled with love, laughter, joy, gratitude, excitement and a strong sense of self and togetherness makes the foundation of every single day I spend on this Earth, of the future I imagine for myself, my family, my world, the world. Facing challenges or changes that come our way becomes a less daunting experience if we are guided by the good things.
Nonetheless, all this must come from the heart, with intention and purpose, surrounding oneself with good people, good things, good vibrations. Plant strong and healthy seeds within our lives, so that the great unknown that the future holds is not so scary, but gives a sense of adventure and taste of living.
Finally, I hope this collection of songs inspires you and, should you find it can inspire others too, feel welcome to share it with your community.
Enjoy listening and I’d love to hear your thoughts about it.
