I Believe Life is An Improvised Solo

            This is the moment I live for. It is my purpose. It is the single reason why blood flows through my veins. In this moment, everything feels right. When I am assembled with a group of talented musicians I know my purpose. We all feel this sense of belonging, and together, we share it. We have become a single expression united by a rhythm and harmony.

            Our feet rise and fall in perfect unison. One indistinctive tap is only slightly audible underneath the musical blend of instruments. For each of us, these instruments have become an extension of our very souls. We have crafted our skills to express our personalities and channel them into an audible form. Without a word, we experience every event, every examination, and every emotion of our lives together. We build off of one another’s feel. This is the creation of music.

            I am seated in a circle with the rest of the musicians. My hand repositions itself along the neck of my guitar with grace. Experienced fingers move sensually along the fret board, finding precise notes with ease. Every part of me has become focused. My ears process the music, and my mind reacts. Playing the instrument is natural. It is effortless. Simply feeling, reading, and reacting. The saxophone begins to solo. I pay careful attention to everything else, following the form of the song exactly. The sax speaks in phrases. He tells a story, and the rest of us accompany him. My eyes meet the eyes of the soloist. Holding out a long note, he slightly nods his head toward me.

            “It’s your turn next.” He’s telling me. “Play your heart out.” I wait for him to reach the end of the progression. As soon as we reach the top of the form, I will begin to tell the story where he left off; in my own wording. He begins his last phrase. I breathe in deeply as the soloist exhales one last powerful note.

            All skillfully crafted instrumental solos follow a few key guidelines in order to leave a lasting impact. They must have an apparent rhythm. They must have some sense of direction. And the notes must have a sense of purpose. Without these things, a musician cannot possibly create a solo with a significant effect on anyone.

            I believe life is an improvised solo. I can either give an amateur performance, or I can try with everything I’ve got to create something spectacular. Personally, I want to influence the world. If my life is a performance, the people I meet will be my audience. When my solo is finally over, I want it to have a lasting impact on my observers.

           The saxophone sings its’ final note. My foot is rising and falling to the rhythm. Now it’s my turn to solo. I know the direction I want to go and strike my first note. It resonates with purpose.