Taking my Uke on the road today
To memory care residents alive near the sea
Who welcome me to sing and play
And who help me remember the best yet to be
On the Road Again
Pause to Ponder
Power in the Charm
Below is an email sent to me by a friend who had just listened to my song Apple Cider Blues featuring a tenor ukulele:
“I believe that the UKE is the most inherently subversive musical instrument out there. Most folks come to the Uke’s music with a preconceived idea of what they’re getting and that idea is usually derived from someone plunking around on a cheap souvenir model. That is why, in my opinion, when it is played with passion and emotion it can have a great effect as it is unexpected.
The UKE is also inherently subversive due to its light and welcoming sound. One could do covers of even metal or rap and folks who would not normally give those songs the time of day would give it a listen.
Finally, given the inherent accessibility of the instrument, the topic range of the lyrics is wide open. Crass becomes charming, preachy becomes whimsical. For your Apple Cider Blues song, it takes what is typically a slow paced metered and flat noted genre and tilts it into what would be referenced as an uplifting gospel song.”
-Tom Shannon, Hammond, Oregon
Yes, what Tom says about the ukulele is in my experience very true. When played with passion a charming little ukulele can move mountains. Just think for example, the power of IZ (Israel Kamakawiwoole) who played on his tiny uke moving millions of hearts around the world while fueling the grass root movement for social change in Hawaii.
To listen to my song “Apple Cider Blues” just click the YouTube icon below or go to https://www.youtube.com/c/jerryoneill.
For a wonderful in-depth resource about the ukulele look up The Ukulele~ A History written by Jim Tranquada and John King, University of Hawaii Press 2012.
Every day I walk on earth there are precious moments caught by the eye of my heart that call me out of the linear stream into a timeless ocean of delight.
Daily devotions, mindfulness, caring conversations, observing rituals and traditions that nourish the soul, eating lots of fruits and veggies, choosing to move and exercise, getting out in nature, getting good sleep and … learn a new instrument? Yes, I have found another helpful way to be alive, less stressed, and meaningfully engaged in my 70’s is to learn to play a new musical instrument. Playing ukulele has sparked my creativity, helped me find my elder voice, and has become a fun way to connect with others, my past, and my future. Learning to play a new instrument is helping me be later-life alive!
Pause to Ponder
Today I stopped to ponder my progress toward making the world a little kinder, greener, indeed, a little more in tune with the voice of wisdom. And while inclined to be discouraged by the slowness of desired change, I simply showed up again on Life’s shore, put myself in the path of Love’s waves, and I felt the encouraging kinship of others to go the distance and with grace—finish strong!