In the Light of Love (Reflections of a Writer) GD 6-4-2011

On this road I travel, please allow my life to inspire someone in need of inspiration, because I know how hard it can get sometimes.  The fears, the doubts, the feelings of worthlessness can overtake the spirit, but it is resilient, and it can rise up from the ruins of despair.  There have been days that have seemed so dark, and nights that have been unbearable, yet we always manage to get through somehow -- the lucky ones.

Sometimes I wonder way too much about too many things such as, the wicked ways of some, and the suffering of others.   Our purpose here in this existence is beyond definition.  Many of us drift in and out of uncertainty and anguish, battling for a place to be, using the achievements of others as a catalyst to climb up the ladder of success, and I'm wondering how anyone could bare the guilt associated with robbing someone of their hard work.

We all have our own star to claim as our own.  Against the blackness of a night sky it is visible if only we look upward, and when we reach for it without shame, or hesitation, we can possess it's beauty throughout our days.

I don't know too much about what is and what isn't right... the only thing I know is what I feel inside, and it doesn't require someone dictating to me from a pulpit how I should act, what I should feel, and who I can love.  My thought process may not be in alignment with the perceptions of the "leaders", however, I trust my soul and my heart.

I don't profess to be a saint, nor do I deem anyone else to be one.  I just know that we are all here for only a short time, and I live my life in the light of love...

Yeah, that's how I live my life.  In the light of love.

-night-night

GD
Author, G. D. Grace Literary Links: 

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Darien - CD "If These Walls Could Talk" a G. D. Grace Review

I Heard about this talented, soulful crooner on the music website, SoulTracks, and after hearing one song, "Composure"  I went online and purchased the entire CD, "If These Walls Could Talk".

I suppose what captured my ears were the touching and heartwarming lyrics to all of the songs on this classic project.

I have been a lover of music for as long as I can remember, and as a writer myself I am drawn to the honest, clean,  & rich-in-content forms of musical expression.

Darien's passionate approach in his vocal delivery is artistic expression at its best, and his live performances elevate the entire feel to the next level.  The summer when this CD was in heavy rotation on my CD player had been a challenging one -- I had stepped out on faith and left a 26 year career at a fortune 500 company.  There were several CD's that captured that space in time and will forever be part of the soundtrack that was my life at that moment -- "If These Walls Could Talk" is one of them.

I had the honor of exchanging correspondence with Darien on MySpace, as well as, on his blog, and found him to be a very kind and warm individual. The networking interaction with him further confirmed that what he sings about is real and from his heart.  His musical contributions are in alignment with many of the artist that I have listened to over the years; from Teena Marie to Earth Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder to George Michael, The Gap Band to Cameo, Anita Baker to Phyllis Hyman, Sade to Maxwell, Aretha Franklin to Peobo
Bryson, and Basia to Swing Out Sister.

The list of artists mentioned above are part of  a wide range of other artists too numerous to count but, one thing for sure, I am attracted to real singers who utilize studio technology to get the product out, and not those who use it to enhance the message of a song.  Instruments and vocals and a clever, moving arrangement are the ingredients that capture my heart.

One of the more touching songs on "If These Walls Could Talk" is the cut, "Seasons".  The words are timeless, deep, and spiritual for me.  It took me a minute to get to it because it is a track closer to the end of the CD.  I was so immersed in all the ones at the beginning that  it took me a minute to reach the end of the CD.  -LOL
That's how I roll though.  If a CD is good, I will wear out each and every song.  Depending on my mood, anyone of them will become my favorite. And I will also replay the entire CD for years and years.
Darien's star has been rising quickly.  He's been performing all over the world, and his audience is expanding with every performance.  I'm thankful to be able to locate artist that, unfortunately, aren't recognized by mainstream media.  Eventually though, mainstream media does catch on but, thankfully, for music lovers like me, independent artists are allowed to shine prior to gaining mainstream attention with the availability of social networking sites like: Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace.

If you'd like to keep up with Darien's whereabouts and learn more about this fantastic musical performer, drop by his blog link (below).  And if you haven't copped the CD "If These Walls Could Talk", then drop by SoulTracks or Amazon and drop some "duckets".

This is GD, bringing it to you from his own words.

Darien's Blog:

http://darienonline.wordpress.com/2011/02/03/please-listen-to-my-demo-graphic/#comments

Amazon Link:

http://www.amazon.com/If-These-Walls-Could-Talk/dp/B0023P7ZD0/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1307240261&sr=1-3

SoulTracks Link:




http://www.soultracks.com/

Author, G. D. Grace Literary Links: 

http://stores.lulu.com/enlightenment4theheart

http://author2be.wordpress.com/


http://authorgdgrace.blogspot.com/

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http://www.blogtalkradio.com/author2beepa

CALL IN NUMBER TO SHOW: (347) 215-6245

“Some People…” – (Reflections of a writer) GD 6-4-2011

The best part of me has to be my heart.  I remember my late grandmother, "Mama", assuring me that I would forgive my brother for using my ID to save his tail from the "Po-Po".  I had to go through the court system to get my ID re-instated not once, not twice, but three times.  I was so dang pissed that I just knew that I wouldn't forgive him, but then as usual, just as she predicted, and with the passage of time, the anger dissipated and I did, in fact, forgive him.

That's the way it has always been for me too.  My kind heart has always left me wide open for opportunistic predators.  I don't blame them in the least though.  I pity them for being selfish insecure individuals.  I hope that doesn't sound too judgmental, because that isn't my intent.

Something that tickles the hell out of me now is a statement that this old "kooster" made indirectly at me.  He pretty much said that "...if someone gives me something that's on them.  They the fools, because I'm gonna take everything I can get from them, but they don't need to look to me for nothing.  I don't feel sorry for them either, that's their fault for being stupid..."  This is an actual quote that came from someone who I, at one time, called my best friend.   -LOL  His cowardice amuses me.  I cannot help but pity him. 


So, you know, you get to this place in your life when you evaluate your situation and who you are surrounded by.  Then you make a conscious decision to communicate and educate them on what you value in friendship, in hopes that they will grasp onto any part of that clue you're tying to convey to them.

You explain that you don't appreciate the attacks on your character, your attire, or your points of view.  You make a desperate effort to retain and hold onto the closeness that you once shared during the early beginnings of the friendship.  You warn them that if they don't stop talking to you like you have a tail (and even animals deserve respect) the way that they do, then they'll lose you.

I recall asking this one friend of mine if she learned anything from me.  I added that I always learned things from her.  I studied her face after I had presented her with question, and my heart broke inside, because I knew that, just by her smug smirk, that  she was too self-absorbed to even fathom admitting to me that she learned things from me.

Another type of person that used to slide in under the radar is the "Passive Hustler".  They are pretty sneaky.   Their quiet, respectful, smiling face harbors a subtle hustle that took a few years for me to identify.  When I did I had an aha! moment.  I suppose the biggest thing I learned about them is that they really are kind souls, but the bottom line is that, even though they won't hustle the draws off of you, they will hustle you to the point just before hustling the draws of you.  -LOL

So, here I am, once again, settled into a cozy peaceful location.  Yet another stop on this journey I'm on.  I'm excited about what I will accomplish in this new spot.  The aura here is definitely good food for the creative spirit.  Even the people here have peaceful auras -- now, ignorance is sometimes bliss, but for right now I am content.   I also know that, to keep things in perspective, it's up to me to establish healthy boundaries.
In general, I will never stop believing in and seeing the best in individuals.  I know that past experiences usually dictate how people live their lives.  Some people internalize the hurt and it transforms them into souls unable to trust or love fully, ever again.  That is sad, because what that means is that anyone who winds up being in a relationship with them will always be a suspect, rather than being a soul mate.


As we evolve our thoughts and ideas about things change -- especially when we're honest with ourselves.  I mean, I  used to play the victim in the scenarios I mentioned above, but now I know that we are responsible for how we allow folks to treat us.  We don't have to stay in a situation for as long as we do.  We don't have to put up with mistreatment by others individuals for as long as we do.  We don't have to turn the other cheek over and over again the way we do.  No, we do have a choice, always.  

Well, I'm not sure if this makes any sense to anyone but me.  I have a lot of stored up stuff in my head so I'm getting it out to make room for the novel I'm writing.  I'll go back and read this later. 

Anyways, I hope things are going well for you, and that you are at a place in your life when you can embrace who you are, and love yourself unconditionally.

Keep your head to the sky, and keep the faith

GD



Author, G. D. Grace Literary Links: 

http://stores.lulu.com/enlightenment4theheart

http://author2be.wordpress.com/

http://authorgdgrace.blogspot.com/

“A Touch of Grace” Blog Talk Radio Show: 

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/author2beepa

CALL IN NUMBER TO SHOW: (347) 215-6245

Author G. D. Grace reserves all rights and reproduction without written permission is not permitted.  If found, legal action will be taken against the person(s) or company(s) that have cut or pasted (Plagiarized) any portion of this written document.  Author, G. D. Grace; Published © 2011 June