Year Of The Cat June 26, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Mindfulness, Music & Dance, People, Writing & Writers.trackback
Rik Scott wrote an interesting piece this morning about the desire of writers to attain immortality by being remembered for their words, What Legacy Will You Leave?
I expect Rik’s right ~ writers write in order to leave the best parts of themselves behind.
My motivation for writing leaves me, once again, in the minority:
I expect my legacy will be as negligible as my impact on others thus far.
My continued existence means little or nothing to this planet and the vast majority of its residents as we blithely revolve around the sun.
In the greater scheme of things, I am irrelevant.
But, so what?
Leaving a legacy behind me, a lasting imprint in the sands of time, may be a destination outside my grasp, but I’m too busy enjoying the dance of life to notice.
Now, other writers may accuse me of inverse vanity, but (if they do) they are seeing the truth behind their eyes, not mine.
I really don’t care whether I am remembered after I’m gone.
If I cared . . .I would have had kids.
And encouraged my kids to have my grand-kids . . .
And encouraged my grand-kids to have my great-grand-kids . . .
I don’t care if people forget me and my words ten minutes after I’m dead.
I just want to enjoy being here now.
Here. Now. That’s where the dance of life really takes place.
On that note . . .
Al Stewart, a Scottish singer-songwriter, paints poetic images with lyrics ~ from Soho to forced marches across Siberia to the predictions of Nostradamus.
In the Year Of The Cat, Stewart encourages us to reach out and accept what is being offered, right here right now, without obsessing about the future and its inherent uncertainty.
As the Year of the Cat unfolds, moment by moment, the future waits patiently in the wings. Highlighted with romantic piano runs and soaring saxophone interludes, here’s Stewart sharing . . . a morning from a Bogart movie in a country where they turned back time:
When we take time to enjoy the journey . . . we end up in the right place at the right time with the right person. We’re so engrossed, we barely notice that the bus and the tourists are gone.
Artwork by Barbara Hines ~ available at Island Gallery West.
Quote: On with the dance! Let joy be unconfined. ~ Lord Byron
Related posts: Life . . . a Journey, Not A Destination * Pursue Distractions * A Writer’s Life For Me * Our Field Of Dreams * Our Internal Compass * Free To Be . . . Me * Winks, Whispers, and Nudges
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Spirit Lights The Way 
Thank you so much for your post … I notice that when I “think” about what legacy or impact I am “trying” to create, I actually break the “flow” around me. When I am enjoying myself, dancing, smiling, joyful, I am right where I am supposed to be. I have the most “angst” when I think I am not DOING the right thing. When I am most myself, being part of the natural world of the faerie folk and bringing others joy through this connection it is innocent and sweet and helps others be themselves as well.
That’s my experience as well.
Reaching for a set destination causes us to focus on the horizon, instead of enjoying what is being offered right here and now.
If we get hit by a bus before we reach the destination ~ we’re surprised, because we’ve allowed ourselves to live so little.
If we reach the destination ~ we’re often disappointed, because it feels more like a “dead end” than a reward.
I just want to enjoy today . . . tomorrow can fend for itself.
Well put, Nancy and Shannon… It’s all about the dance…
As an example of of how relevant this post is to me today:
I’m happily engaged in an online and phone dance with a potential life partner… Knowing that our dance may not result in a happily-ever-after ending, I’m still enjoying the twirling and whirling of word play and verbal sparring with a man who is matching wits with me and makes me laugh with his writing voice…
It helps that he’s got strong morals and values — not putting his hands inappropriatley in the wrong places during this “dance”…
and it doesn’t hurt that he’s good-looking and athletically-built…
But whether or not we leave behind the legacy of a heart-warming love story is not as important as the dance is right now…
I agree ~ one of my favorite lines in this song is:
You know some time you’re bound to lose her, but for now you’re gonna stay . . . in the Year of the Cat.
On with the dance!
Enjoy the dance right now 😉
Great post Nancy – is it coincidence? I have always loved this song. I have so much to learn in this area.
Remaining “mindful of the moment” leads us in the right direction . . .
When we choose to “Be Here Now” we more consciously choose where next to place our focus.
I find that songs I loved when younger often had “hidden” messages that did not reveal themselves until I had a few more miles under the tread of my shoes.
Enjoy your vacation!
That is so true about hidden messages in songs…
Many times the songwriters themselves are unaware of those messages.
For me writing is the tool for higher thoughts to be channeled, and I often have to reflect on the words that “come to me” — seemingly out of nowhere.
Joanne ~
There is so much wisdom in song lyrics that I question the actual author’s identity.
For example, Dream On by Aerosmith.
Were the Bad Boys of Boston really old enough and wise enough (while in their early 20’s) to talk about life passing by in the blink of any eye:
Every time I look in the mirror
All these lines on my face getting clearer
The past is gone
It went by like dusk to dawn
What sort of past could they have had at that point in their life?
How many lines on their faces could they see?
Old souls know more than they think they know… I’ve written song lyrics, poems and other creative pieces from as young as 12 years old…
I’ve had “sub-audible” voices whisper words to me that I never used in speech… I even had to look them up in the dictionary to be sure I was using them correctly in context…
That’s my point . . .
In your example, “you” are not necessarily writing the lyrics . . . the lyrics are being dictated to you from some other source.
The spiritual internet.
The source of all true wisdom.
How COOL is THAT…? 😀
Pretty cool . . .
Unless you have a big EGO and want to claim all the credit! 😉
We have a very dear friend, Ivan – we call him Ivy – and this is his alltime fave album. We always give him CDs for his birthday and – as we decide which album to buy, we ask ourselves “Is the album in The Ivy League”.
That’s awesome ~ The Ivy League. Have you given him Roderick Land yet?