My life in a song
Preface
I have experienced a life of loss, abuse, neglect, trouble, stress, and fear, and lived to tell about it, in my songwriting.
If it were not for the experiences I have had, I may have been like everyone else. Instead, I have endured through it, however possible, did not hold it inside, but expressed the pain, the grief, and the heartache, in my songs. I encourage any child that is fated to live a life of sorrow, to find an art and express on their chosen canvas, the pain. Put it there and leave it there for others to find their own serenity through viewing, or listening, or reading, etc.
I wrote a piece and posted it to social media, I would like to share about my world.
This embodies the way I view this world:
My World Is Not Ugly
It is pointless to try to explain my world to you, but I continue to try to do so.
I believe when people say someone is from another world it is true.
Oh how I wish, just once I could bring you into my world so that you could experience all of the beautiful reasons that I have fought living in your world !
My world consist of Artists, Musicians, poets, creators, outcasts, and all of those people that are referred to as crazy, or socially unacceptable, blind, reckless, never content, ramblers, gypsy's, hippies, etc...
But they are only trying to show the people of your ugly world, that they know, and have seen that it can be better.
They do this through paintings, and music, photography, and other art forms. Just trying to capture a picture, or an array of colors, images, or sounds to help those of your ugly world to see a glimpse of our beautiful world.
I want one time, just one time, for you to feel the feeling you get from creating something beautiful.
The heart throbbing feeling that comes when you match the perfect lyric to the perfect chord, or the perfect stroke to the perfect color, or if you see the beauty in something that no one in your ugly world can see.
Yes you can see the beauty of a painting, or a flower, or a song. But you cannot FEEL the beauty that radiates from it. You cannot feel the feeling that it's creator felt when they saw the smile that it put on your face.
This is why we are so depressed, and angry, and never content with what little petty, meaningless, things this ugly world has to offer.
This is why we have a hard time working a job for money.
Because money is ugly and it is the most important thing in your ugly world !
We do not do things for money in our beautiful world. We do them for artistic satisfaction, and creativity, peace, serenity, and the love of all things beautiful ! We do the things we do to try and bring a little beauty and peace and balance into your ugly chaotic world !
Some people in your world go to school and learn how to paint, or sing, or play an instrument with such excellence just to fool the masses into sinking every ugly dollar into their pocket... in your ugly world.
Just as every deity has a nemesis, there are those in your ugly world that have seen enough of our beautiful world to turn and twist it and bastardize the beauty for their own gain.
Maybe they started out living in my beautiful world and gave up on the fight as so many do.
It is understandable ! It is a very hard battle, that one living in this diminishing beautiful world must fight every moment of every day.
Fighting against those that are not enemies, but loved ones, friends, family, just because they don't understand why we can't just go to work and be happy and content with that.
They don't understand why we have to leave them for a little while and go into a room or a basement, or studio, alone or with like minded other beautiful world dwellers to fill our souls with peace and love and beauty, and reload for the battle.
These things we do Art, Music, Photography, these dreams we have, these creative projects we tackle, have often been referred to as being "childish fantasies". We have been told to grow up and "get our priorities straight".
They do not understand that it is not a choice! It is not an obsession.
It is an undying nervousness, restlessness, and overpowering desire to beautify all of the ugliness we see every day in this Ugly world !
"All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."
Pablo Picasso
Just another babbling session, if you made it this far, Thanks for caring enough to read this.
Below is a song I wrote back in '95, just shows it never goes away and is as strong or stronger now as ever.
"ESCAPE"
Tell me about birds of a feather
Tell me about songs to sing
Tell me about life together
You're telling me everything
ESCAPE
Tell me about earth and land
Tell me about beautiful streams
Tell me I can hold your hand
You're telling me everything
ESCAPE
Tell me about mountain water
Tell me about snowcapped trees
Tell me there is no other
You're telling me everything
ESCAPE
Tell me I can look in your eyes
Tell me about eternity
Tell me you won't say goodbye
You're telling me everything
ESCAPE
Tell me about the plan God has for all his little children
Tell me about the place we’ll go where there will be no suffering.
Tell me Grace, Mercy, and Compassion,
Calvary, Trinity, Faith, Hope, and Love.
And The Greatest is Love
(c) Eric Hines 1995