On this anniversary, Live like you mean it
AnthonyI'm writing this at about 10:30pm EST, 9:30 CST. In a few hours, time will mark the 19th anniversary of the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan.
I could write a long, drawn out article, reciting the facts of his life that everyone already knows, but I'm not about 'filler' on this website, I prefer substance. And writing something, just for the sake of writing it, is not sincere. So here's what I'm really feeling on the 19th anniversary of his passing.
On Purpose
Stevie's music and playing unlocked some things inside of me that I didn't even know were there. At a time where I was dealing with some severe emotional trauma, playing his music was one of the only ways I knew how to keep from being overcome with depression.
One of my favorite things about Stevie's playing was his use of heavy strings. I know that everyone thinks that big strings are only about tone, but I have a different theory. Whether it's true or not, I like to think that Stevie used big strings because they keep you honest. You can't play great on big strings, unless you give it everything you have.
When you put your fingers on such heavy strings, you get an immediate gut-check. They seem to say:
"Are you sure you want to do this because it's probably going to hurt?"
If you're serious, you keep going. If not, you put the guitar down and come back later when you feel like doing battle.
The reason I pick out this odd topic on this sad anniversary is this. Whatever you do, do it with passion and do it like you mean it.
Live like you mean it
I have no idea whether Stevie ever made a statement like that verbally, but he practically shouted it from his guitar when he played. And to this day, the passion that he put into his craft has changed many, many lives. So on the 19th anniversary of his passing, this is my encouragement to you.
Don't waste your life simply existing. Live on purpose and do it with some passion. You have no idea how many people's lives you may change by simply pouring your heart and soul into what you love.
I don't know where you come from, I don't know what your life situation is right now. Maybe it sucks. Maybe it's great. But I do know one thing about you. If you're the kind of person who is drawn to Stevie Ray Vaughan's music, it means that you are drawn to sincerity and passion. And that, my friend, means that you have sincerity and passion inside of you too. Shallow people are drawn to shallow things. Sincere passionate people are drawn to things like Stevie's music.
It might be buried under years of disappointment, missed opportunities, broken relationships or simply a hard, difficult life. You might have thrown in the towel after your marriage dissolved, you lost your job, or because someone you know died before their time. You might even think that it's too late for you to accomplish anything meaningful in life. Maybe you've been going through the motions for so long you don't even remember what it feels like to show passion in anything you do.
That's ok. That doesn't mean that it's not in you. What you feel when you listen to Stevie's music is not simply for you to feel, it is something for you to live. That sincerity and passion that he put into his music was not something he simply felt, it was something he expressed through his playing. It was something he lived.
Do you think Stevie ever dreamed that so many people would be so moved by his music, so many years after his guitar fell silent? You might never play in front of 1000 people, 100 people, or even 10 people. But in the end, it's not really about the guitar, it's about how you live. Pouring your heart and soul into something you love can have much bigger echoes in other people's lives than you think.
Don't be satisfied to exist. Live your life the way Stevie Ray Vaughan played his guitar. Live like you mean it.
Rock on :-)