For as long as I can remember, harmony has been a critical part of my life. For starters, I am a twin. Anyone who has a twin understands what I mean – it is almost creepy how close twins can be sometimes. If one has studied the far eastern religions’ concept of yin/yang, the balance achieved by opposing forces creates a form of harmony. Harmony can take many forms and apply to many different areas of life, but the reason it is the namesake of this blog relates to two general areas of life — music and nature. I am taking the liberty of applying “human” nature to the nature side even though we have become the most unnatural creation on planet earth – but more on that later.
My parents were married in Harmony Hall Baptist Church. Both sides of my family were farmers and my parents were introduced to each other by my maternal grandfather – a man named Rando with no middle name. He was larger than life with a million stories and he helped build the very church my parents were married in. The church has since burned down, he is long gone, and we lost my mama last August to her 3rd round of breast cancer. I say that to say this. As I have aged, I have learned that life loves to take things away from us. We can be angry and bitter, we can give up, we can quit caring, or we can learn to pay closer attention and grow in wisdom and love. One can achieve harmony with every sense he possesses. You can hear, see, taste, smell, feel, even learn and earn harmony. When life takes one sense away, there is no reason one cannot improve another. I wrote this as a young man.
I know it when I hear it
And now I’ve learned to see
When life seems out of balance
The key is harmony…
When two are one together
Their beauty resonates
Through one touch of the Master
The whole from part creates…
We all affect each other
Though mortal we may be
Through love for foe and brother
My mind’s eye now can see…
The Angels lift their voices
Each independently
With melody created
He adds the Harmony…
Now, I can’t sing for nothing, and never learned to play any instrument – but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE music. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a Baptist church that still did singing schools with shaped notes and 4 part harmony – so I can do re mi all day long in bass, tenor, alto, or baritone – just don’t expect it to sound good. On the other hand, this is one of my favorite examples of harmony.
Finally, I will let these lyrics speak for themselves. Without getting on a soapbox, I will just say that I concur 100%.
“Harmony”
Clint Black w/ Kenny Loggins
With the rivers running to the sky
To rain upon the land
Our children’s children’s sands of time
Are slipping through our hands.
Take heed in what’s become of Eden
You and me, from seed to seed
Just how does your garden grow?
It’s likely only Heaven knows.
Harmony – From the very start
Weren’t we changing it?
Don’t we all agree, that in every part
We’re more than rearranging harmony.
Do we move the mountains that we climb
Just because we’re here?
Can we show the forests to the blind
To see the trees we clear?
And if Mother Nature holds her ground
And our seeds are still around
Will we watch our garden grow
To something only Heaven knows?
Harmony – We’re the only ones
Who can’t live in it
Everything and everyone
Can get along in every way in harmony.
Harmony – From the very start
Weren’t we changing it?
Don’t we all agree that in every part
We’re more than rearranging harmony.
[Chorus:]
I believe it’s gonna be
When everybody here can sing along
Singin’ in harmony
Stand on up, say the word
Together, all of our voices can be heard
Everybody knows the key
To livin’ in harmony.
Take heed in what’s become of Eden
You and me, from seed to seed
Just how does your garden grow?
It’s likely only Heaven knows.
Harmony – We all just have to believe
Don’t we all agree, that in every part
We’re more than rearranging harmony.
[Chorus:]
I believe it’s gonna be
When everybody here can sing along
Singin’ in harmony
(Stand on up, I believe)
I believe in harmony
I believe
(Ooo, I believe, everybody knows)
Say the word, harmony (Stand on up)
I know we can do it now
I believe, I believe in harmony
Yeah, harmony
Everybody knows the key
To livin’ in harmony…
Baby steps and random acts of kindness. pass it on folks. It doesn’t have to cost a dime. Smiles are more infectious than any disease.