Having read Mick Fleetwood’s (the Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac) autobiography, “Play On” I’ve decided I want to play on. I want to continue to have new adventures, to expand who I am. To quote Mick Fleetwood, “…adventures are how we learn who we really are.” That is why I started this blog.
Having had a successful career and now being retired, I’m frequently asked, if I miss my job. My career was a big part of my life, so it’s natural for my friends to assume I would miss that part of my life but I really don’t. I’ve outgrown that person I was. I’m someone new who wants to express myself in new ways. I want to have new adventures, to see in new ways, so I will become more and create anew.
I’m not a talented musician, I can’t carry a tune. So I’ve chosen to inspire through writing. I feel I am on a rebirth, a new way to expressing myself. The words, “Play On” are so simple yet so full of meaning. I don’t want to “work on.” I want to have fun. I want to follow my passion to inspire myself and others.
As I read “Play On” I got the sense of the overwhelming passion required for Mick to “Play On,” to keep the band together; for the band to become more than the sum of its parts. His passion inspires me. The band became the venue for the members to express themselves artistically, to express what lived in their souls. I want to express what is in my soul. Mick’s book inspires me to express my passion, to take risks, to keep moving forward, to be fearless.
Mick talked about how he gained more than his fans. Isn’t that such a great win-win situation, to be able to do what you love and influence millions with the songs your band brought to life. How wonderful it is to make connections, to inspire, to make people happy and so much more from doing what you love. I’m grateful that Fleetwood Mac played on so I could see them in person in Chicago in October 2014. How fun that was to finally have the opportunity to see Fleetwood Mac live. Thank you for sharing your heart and soul with the world.
I’ve come to realize there are four places to live your life;
You can live on a “downward spiral.“
You can “live stuck.”
You can “move on” out of your stuck place.
The ultimate place to live is where you “Play On.”
I’ve come to learn when you’re stuck you need to move on before you can play on. When my son of 33 years died of cancer. I got stuck. I wasn’t living. I was so sad it was hard to even survive. I was on a journey I did not choose. Then, I decided and yes it was a conscious decision to move on. I forced myself to go out on New Year’s Eve when I all I wanted to sit home and cry, but I went out and had fun. I didn’t want to let my son’s death define who I was. I wanted to become more because of his death, not less. I wanted his death to have meaning and so I started a scholarship award at his college. I have recently transitioned from moving on to playing on. I’m now at a happy and peaceful place and I am now finally playing on.
Just as the Fleetwood Mac band has morphed so many times over the years (and in my opinion always becoming better), so will I morph to become better. I am going to play on. I don’t want to die with my music in me.
Thank you for riding along on this journey. I hope to inspire as I find my voice, as I follow my passion to change the world through kindness. I will “play on” and I hope you will, too.
Further discussion: How do you move on when you are stuck? How have you played on? What dreams are you passionate about? How do you inspire yourself and others?
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Staying in Touch: Barbara Hirsh can be reached at info@LiveKinder.com I love hearing your kindness stories. Please sign-up for a weekly kindness message at www.LiveKinder.com or follow LiveKinder on Facebook!
