Louis Armstrong-What a Wonderful World
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I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.
The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
They’re really saying…I love you.
~Louis Armstrong
I have a friend who tells me that if I want to reach my dreams or change my life, I need only take one tiny baby step forward. The Universe will then take a matching tiny baby step towards me. If I keep taking baby steps in faith, then eventually the Universe and I will meet in the middle, and the dreams will become reality.
Today, that theory was confirmed in a single, beautiful, magical moment.
Sitting in the grass at the park, listening to two of my favorite local musicians play guitar. Beautiful, beautiful melodies intertwining, caressing each other, sliding in, out, and over each other. Chord progressions moving seamlessly with amazing riffs. Very soothing to the soul. I looked out over the small, intimate crowd that had come together to celebrate the birthday of one of the guitarists.
A middle-aged couple was dancing together, eyes only for each other. They were so full of love for each other; it was obvious in the way they smiled and looked at each other. Joyful, free movement.
A group of teenagers played like children in the grass across the way. The did handstands and cartwheels, and played with a ball. All of them were laughing and smiling together.
A little bit farther away, a man played catch with his dog. Such pure happiness apparent on both of their faces.
Closer in, the friends and family who had gathered sat all around me. Some were talking, others were eating cake, still others were playing cards and board games.
And then there were the other musicians in the crowd who were completely enraptured by the music.
And then there is me. Enjoying all of it, soaking all of it in. A little moment of zen as I realize that none of it would exist without me, not in the same way, and then realizing that all of it would exist without me, and being OK with that. Me, surrounded by dear friends who were strangers to me less than two weeks ago. Two weeks. People who think enough of me to invite me to a semi-private birthday celebration, and who make sure I know where and when I can meet up with them again. People who know my name, and have included me in their little extended family. People who accept me as I am, wounds, flaws, and all…who don’t try to change me, heal me, or help me grow. Men who smile and shake my hand when they see me. Women who hug me and kiss my cheek as they greet me. People who introduce me to others who happen to be nearby. You know…Friends.
I could outline the steps that brought me from there to here, but they really aren’t that important. The important part is that I took responsibility for my life, for the decisions I made, and for the outcome. This is my life, and I created it just the way it was, and now I am creating it just the way it is. And I am very, very pleased with my creation. What a wonderful world, indeed.
Love Always,
Jay
How happy making! Thank you for a wonderful, magical story about your beautiful life.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Trish Scott, Jay Schryer. Jay Schryer said: New, on Porsidan: What a Wonderful World http://porsidan.com/what-a-wonderful-world/ [...]
Jay,
Beautifully written, my friend. I loved these lines:
“The important part is that I took responsibility for my life, for the decisions I made, and for the outcome. This is my life, and I created it just the way it was, and now I am creating it just the way it is.”
It is the little things that make a life but you really have to have the ability to see them. You, my beautiful friend, have that ability and thank you for sharing it. You’re the best Jay.
@Trish – Thank you for the compliments. I’m really glad you enjoyed my story. It was a singular, beautiful moment, but it was very much needed.
@Sunny – Thank you! Personal responsibility is truly a beautiful thing, isn’t it?
@Cyberia – Yes, it’s the little things…like a twitter friend from the other side of the world who “gets” me.
It is *you* who are the best, dear one.
I hear you, Jay. Well said.
“This is my life, and I created it just the way it was, and now I am creating it just the way it is.”
Shaka that, my brother.
~xo
And that my friend is why I cry every time I hear this beautiful song! Everyday is an opportunity to create newer and better things for ourselves if we only reach out and take the chance.
) It is a wonderful world and a beautiful life…
Hi Jay,
This is awesome. Keep taking those baby steps and I’ll keep following your lead;)
It’s one of my all time favorite songs and at the end of my presentations I sign to it.
You made my day.
@Lori – “I hear you” is even more magical to me than Avatar’s “I see you.” Thank you for hearing me; thank you for everything you do and everything you are.
@Rhonda – That song makes me cry, too. Tears of joy, of hope, and of beauty. Thanks for sharing the vision.
@Tess – Ahh, I could never lead *you*…I’m forever following in your footsteps. If I made your day, then it’s just a small repayment of all the kindness you have shown me. I’m honored to know you, my friend.
Jay, you took me on a wonderful journey with you and I am grateful. And in my own way, I’m celebrating your wonderful life of your own creation. To be seen, embraced by others as your true self is such a gift. May we be so for all who cross our path. (Well, at least we can try a little harder, eh?)
Enjoy this one precious life! May we all…. I had a similar thought today. This song could have danced in me. I had several moments of looking around at my life, my day, and thinking this is amazing!
This may be my fave post of yours ever. Pure poetry!
What a beautiful picture you paint for us, Jay, but the wonderful thing is that you painted it for yourself, first. This is one of my favorite songs, and it’s so powerful that I always tear up. I believe every word of it. And I’m so glad to see you enjoying it, too.
Jay,
I’m glad you are making friends..I’m glad you are beginning to enjoy the beauty of the place that you call home..I know it’s important to you to feel accepted, so I’m glad you are beginning to feel that…may you continue to be blessed with all that your heart whispers…
You are painting a beauty filled external picture for your readers..may you allow that beauty to bring you to places you have only previously imagined…
@Jan – Thank you! I’m really glad you liked this post. You are absolutely correct in that being seen and embraced for our true selves is a gift. A very rare and precious gift, indeed. It has been such a long, long time since anyone has just accepted me as I am, without any preconceived notions or expectations, and so it truly soothed my soul. it’s a gift that I hope to pay forward many times over in my life.
@Julie – The picture…the moment itself…was most beautiful, and I just knew that I had to share it as soon as it was finished. This song was sung at the concert, and so I knew it had to be the title of this post. It made me cry as it was being played, and it was such a beautiful feeling. Thank you for sharing in it with me.
@Joy – Thank you for the blessings. May they be returned to you a thousand times over. Thank you for showing me the way, and for being a light along the path for everyone else, including me.
Thank you for the inspiration to enjoy the moment, to be truly and deeply greatful for what is. What power you give to yourself, seeing yourself as the creator and trusting that it is enough to move forward and the world will greet you along the way! You radiate love and presence and that is irresistable and a true gift to the people around you. I am inspired!!
I’m so proud of you, I could just burst! In fact, once again, you remind me of Hunter. He has spent this week at an art camp… away from me (a few hours a day)… making new friends and forming new bonds.
Just a couple of days and just a handful of people made all the difference in the world. Now his eyes sparkle, and there’s a spring in his step, and he can’t wait to go to bed so it can hurry up and be the next day when he goes back to HIS new world. I’m so happy for both of you.
Of course, now I’ve gotta figure out how to make this new bliss last beyond the week-long camp! Hopefully, at least one of the kids will be permanent play date material… keep your fingers crossed.
Did I mention I’m proud of you?!?!
Jay,
Your words are beautiful, inside and out. Not only do they tell a story of love, the love of you for you, but the spaces in between whisper love to me. That’s what I experienced reading and feeling your words…love for you, love for me and love for life. What a gift you are. Thank you.
@Mills – Thank you for the kind words. I constantly work to radiate love and peace to everyone I meet, but I often fall short of the mark, especially when I am hurt or afraid. However, the day described here was definitely a day that I was “on target”, and the results were most magical. My wish is that everyone would have many days such as this, myself included.
@Lisis – Thank you, Li’l Isis! I’m proud of me, too. And any time that I can be in the same boat as Hunter is a good time! It really is amazing how just a few people can make such a huge difference in our lives. It’s even more amazing how shifting our attitudes (in my case from a victim mentality to an empowered one) can change our whole world around.
@Julie – Thank you for the kind words. Yes, the whole day was based in love. Love that began with acceptance. Acceptance of myself, acceptance of my life, and acceptance of me by others. It was calm and peaceful, and very loving. I’m glad that you were able to feel a bit of that love just by reading my words. If I can manage to be a gift to you as you have been to me, then I will consider it a job well done. Thank you for all that you do, and all that you are.
I enjoy reading your writing and about your journey, even though I don’t subscribe to the new agey stuff. Glad things are still good.
I dig it. I like the observation that it wouldn’t exist in the same way without you, yet it would and could exist without you. It’s a good example to see both sides of our own existence in this world.
@Dot – Thanks, Dot. I’m glad you enjoy my writing.
@Eric – Thanks for highlighting that little sentence, Eric. That was the one little moment of zen that opened up my heart to everything that we going on around me, and made me realize that I was in the middle of something extraordinary – both internal and external. Without that one realization, I never would have noticed everything as I did, and you wouldn’t have read about it here
Hi Jay:
I enjoyed this post…you painted a great picture of those magical moments you experienced. I had one of those moments a few weeks ago. Many times, moments seem great in retrospect. But I had one of those moments where everything felt perfect: park, sunlight, cool breeze, kids, families, my energy, etc. It was cool to realize just how perfect and amazing the moments were – as they were happening.
Good to hear you’re meeting some new friends. I know sometimes it seems that there’s an endless stream of people leaving our lives. It’s great when these friends get replenished.
Thanks again for sharing your magical, zen moment. It’s so cool when it happens!
congrats Jay
mountains are built from stone plebes, those baby steps are the building blocks of success
What a beautiful post to read. Your acceptance was reflected in the tone as was the joy of the moment you experienced. I wonder why it is we spend so much money trying to find what you experienced in those few hours without spending much at all? Bliss…
May you have more of these days.
Oh Jay, so happy to read this! That you got this confirmation/boost from the universe, that you took that step, and most of all that you have friends around you. What a big shift. I am sure there are still challenges to come, there are always are, but this feels like such a blessing. It was certainly wonderful to read. XOXO – Lisa
@Tim – Thanks, Tim. I really appreciate your insight. Indeed, it does seem like there is a constant stream of people leaving our lives, and it *is* really good to see the pool get replenished. Thanks for sharing your own little moment of zen here.
@Farouk – You’re right. It’s the little things, added up over time, that make up the huge, life-changing events. Thank you for sharing your wisdom here.
@The Exception – We really need to get you a new pseudonym! It’s so awkward to say: “Hi, the Exception…”
In all seriousness, thank you for stopping in, as always. I think that people spend so much money looking for peace and acceptance because they believe that it comes from external circumstances, when the truth is that it arises from the inside first, and then radiates outward. I was at peace with myself, which led to my appreciation of the peaceful events around me.
@Lisa – Thank you! It was a most welcome confirmation/boost, because I needed it sorely. I was just about at the end of my rope in this area, so it was nice to feel the sudden gift from the Universe. And yes, there are still lots of challenges, but I feel like I can face them…with a little help from my friends
Very beautifully written. As usual. It is lovely that you are receiving such amazing support! Congrats to taking the baby steps! I enjoy toddling around and that song too!
Hi Jay
This was beautiful! I love how you were the observer and taking part in this all added so much to everything! It is so true, none of what and who was there, would have been the same without you in it. You made the whole scene come alive as you captured it with your eyes, heart and spirit.
Thank you for sharing such a beautiful place – I wish you to be in beautiful places always!
@Evelyn – Thank you, Evelyn. I’m really glad that you enjoy my writing. The support that I receive from you is even more amazing than the support I receive in the physical world, so thank you for that.
@Evita – Thank you, Evita. I’m having more and more “moments of zen” as I continue to grow spiritually, and this was a nice one. I wish for you to be in such beautiful places always, too.
Dear Beautiful Jay, what a remarkable soul you have…you ARE. And even those words don’t do justice to how I feel when I read your heart here. I cannot read your sharings without crying. I’ve never once read here without crying.
I’m a lot older than you, and if you were my son, I could not possibly be prouder of you. You are truly a rare soul in the way you allow your heart to express itself so openly, in the way it hungers for and IS. And your heart is soooo breathlessly beautiful. I cannot look upon it without grateful tears coming to my eyes. You just keep being YOU, Jay; it is more than enough. It is everything.
The world DESPERATELY needs souls like you. I am a lot like you in that I hide little of myself. Not so much by choice, it just seems to be who I am, I am very transparent. I have over the years learned to love myself for that (as opposed to how I once felt, which was shame and embarrassment). And I am now grateful. When I was younger, being so open hearted, made life very challenging and more often than not painful.
Today I embrace the beauty in the soul that is me, a soul who’s heart is wide open, sensitive and so aware of all the world around me. This is what I see in you and so in light of that, you reflect to me a very special part of myself. Really the deepest part of myself.
You have Greatness in you, Jay, You ARE Greatness, and have the ability—in just being you—to change the world in the most magical, astounding, healing ways. So my beautiful friend, you just keep being the beautiful soul that is Jay.
Much love,
Robin
PS Thank you for all that you give. It is not missed, and never goes unseen. YOU ARE SEEN.
@Robin – Thank you so much. It’s not often that a comment moves me to tears, but you just did. I can’t even express how much I appreciate your care, support, and love. I wish I were more like you…I wish we were *all* more like you. Again, thank you.