This may sting in The Kid Used To Dream

I want to apologise to anyone who ever walked away from a conversation with me feeling like I treated you like you were less than a person or that you didn’t matter. If I ever posted something that upset you - it wasn’t personal towards you.

From as early as I could remember I saw the world differently than others around me saw it. Sometimes, I learned that in seeing things differently I realized I saw them wrong. I used to think wrestling was real and while the physical part of it is real - it’s not like they are training and fighting to beat each other - they are working very hard to fool us. They train harder to keep from hurting themselves and one another so that it looks the opposite to us. It’s only when someone goes off script that it becomes a deadly sport.

Same goes for anything else. We coach football now to teach kids how to execute plays and techniques that will stop their opponent without hurting themselves in the process.

Now, think about politics for a second. We don’t elect the best people for the job of governing us. We vote for the person who influenced us the most based off of particular characteristics. Locally, it’s by blood or bond. We feel like if we elect someone we have a personal connection to they will be the best person for the job when in a sense all we’ve done is elected someone we hope will give us some grace should the law effect us in a negative way…or maybe it’s a trust issue. Yet, we teach our kids it’s the person that works the hardest and is qualified is the person that gets the job - and we vote contrary to that notion. On the state and national level we complain about the people we elect when they go against our personal convictions. We never stop to think that they train to not hurt themselves but to “act” as if they are hurting one another to deceive us into thinking they are working for us. While it used to be compromise it is now - what can we give each other that helps us keep our jobs.

In music - your popularity is loosely based on talent. It’s influence. Promoters and record companies will use you when you prove that you can influence fans, congregations or otherwise to fill up their venues before they will hire you. Yet, as an artist if you have an opinion then you stand to isolate yourself and limit your audience and that will diminish your opportunities. The hard work you must provide is creating a flawless program empty of personal convictions and helping the person that paid the ticket to feel better about themselves for having come see you - unless you are a gospel artist. Then, you are supposed to use only your own resources and give it all away because that’s what is expected. Here we are again - you must train to an audiences expectations that all you’re doing for free doesn’t cost anything. Yet, it costs your time and your own resources.

So, it stands to reason that are being influenced to believe we have the power and a voice. The wresters influence our emotions.. politicians influence our nature to be in control.. musicians influence our desire to be talented and popular..and some organized religions influence our desire for all the above.

I believe we are all victims of influence -

It is only when you take a step back and see it that you realize it. It’s deciding on what is worth being influenced by that will change your life. Do I want to be influenced by man made ideas, persona or evil? Or, do I desire to be influenced by Love and Life. I believe I will choose what yields love and life from now on.

Last updated August 14, 2021