Life has some sad and painful days, and today is sad and painful for me. My maternal grandfather passed away just after midnight this morning. He had a long and impressive life. We were very close…
After lots of tears and phone calls I watched some of Walk the Line over breakfast. You’ve certainly seen the movie… It’s awesome. Johnny Cash is a true inspiration. Here’s a man who boldly lived life, followed his dreams, created some true art, made mistakes along the way, had tough fights with attachments and addictions, but finally found that all eluding peace that we all strive for… Something that still eludes me most of the time.
What struck me this morning is the speech made to Johny Cash and the Tennessee Two by Sam Phillips, the owner of a small recording studio and record label. After Cash and his two music-mechanics sang him a gospel song in the hope of getting a record deal, Phillips stopped them. He wanted to know of they had anything else…
He explained that a gospel song like that just wouldn’t sell. Johnny accused him of not believing in God, and insisted that he didn’t give them time to “bring it home…” Sam Phillips laughed and then sketched this scenario:
“You were hit by a truck and you were lying there in that gutter — dying — and you had time to sing one song. Huh…? One song people would remember before you’re dirt. One song that would let God know what you felt about your time here on earth. One song that would sum you up. You’re telling me that’s the song you’d sing? That same Jimmy Davis tune we hear on the radio all day… about your peace within, and how it’s real and how you’re gonna shout it? Or, would you sing something different? Something real. Something you felt. ‘Cause I’m telling you right now, that’s the kind of song people want to hear. That’s the kind of song that truly saves people. It ain’t got nothing to do with believing in God, mister Cash. It’s got to do with believing in yourself.”
Some people would be immediately upset by that last bit. But, it’s true (and I’m really tired of the pharisees). We truly have to believe in ourselves if our belief in God’s going to matter…
So, today, on a sad and painful day, I want to write to you as if this is my last blog post. Imagine I’m in a gutter, and dying, and I’m writing this from my iPhone… About life. What would I say to you? I’ll get there in a minute…
Whatever I would say, I would dedicate it to the memory of my grandfather. ‘Oupa’ Izak Johannes Fischer, you were a large, strong man who served your country faithfully as a police officer. When there were just too many Brigadiers to fit into the few General posts available, you stepped back, and you allowed your life-long fellow officers and friends to take the spoils of the top spots. You went and became a farmer… A good one. What a wise move.
Our fondest childhood memories are of that farm. Riding with you on your motorcycle, getting hurt, fishing, removing little birds from their nests, breaking your chicken eggs, eating fruit fresh from the many fruit trees, milking the cows, putting coins on the train tracks to fetch them later — flattened, and walking around in the little cemetery after dark — scared out of our souls.
I am glad your suffering is finally over. It wasn’t easy to see you like that. I will always remember you for the strong fighter, leader, family man, and man of God that you were. Gentle even while enjoying a game of bridge with my dad and uncles. But more than anything I will remember you for your love. Love for your children, children-in-law, and grandchildren… obviously. But also your love for other people, less deserving of your love. Your gentle spirit…
I love you! We all do. I will tell my little boy about you when he’s old enough to remember and I’m sure he’s going to be sorry for never getting to know you! But, now you are seeing a light and experiencing a peace that I long for, and will eventually get to… You’re home and you got there in style. Farewell! You will live on in our minds, our hearts, and our efforts to be as human as you were. And who knows… maybe if we please God with our lives, we’ll also reach the ripe old age of 84.
After mourning your passing, I will be celebrating your life!
Okay, so here’s what I feel today… Here’s what’s real for me today. This is what I would tell you, my blog reader, about life if this was my last day… which it isn’t unless you know something which I don’t 
Life is about relationships. All the possessions that you can gather doesn’t mean anything. It’s about time… And we’re all too selfish with our time. We don’t make time for God. We don’t make time for our children, our families. We don’t make time for our friends… Not enough.
We need to slow down. We need to look around.
There is beauty in pain and suffering. God is not a heavenly grandfather as one friend and mentor summed up so beautifully this week… Thanks Stephan. God doesn’t just sit and look out for us and help us enjoy ourselves. Sometimes He allows us pain and suffering, and — as in the case of Johnny Cash — addictions and struggles. He allows this for us to WAKE UP! To see that we’re missing life. We’re missing love. We’re missing beauty. We’re missing Being. And if we’re gonna blink it will have been too late.
Don’t wait… Slow down. There will always be something urgent, untill death is staring you down. Start seeing beauty around you. That part of you that wants to excel and look good toward those around you, yes, the one who drives you to work harder, go further, achieve more… The part that want your children to look good. It’s an illusion! It’s your ego… It’s fake! And it’s stealing your joy. It’s taking all that’s truly precious away from you.
You already are all you can be.
I’ve got too much work to even be typing this blog post… One of the most important ones that I’ll ever type (even if no-one reads it). But see… that’s the whole point. We’re just too busy, busy, busy. We need to make time for art. For creativity… We need to overcome the resistance as Seth Godin states in his necessary and timely new book, Linchpin.
God’s here. He’s patiently waiting for us to realize that He’s here. And when you do realize, and start spending some time with Him, in love, adoration, receiving his small doses of therapy… some of that patience will rub off on you. You’ll love more, and shout less. You’ll have more peace, joy and love… and you’ll spread more peace, joy and love.
Religion, spirituality, faith… call it what you will! It’s not about morality. Stop trying to impress God… and others. It’s about love. It’s about Christ. It’s about the love and peace of Christ in everyone and everything around you. The Cosmic Christ. If we get to know Him, and start to realize his presence even in us, then we will bear the fruit of this union. True spirituality is about seeing… awareness. It’s about transformation. And only then can morality be.
Be a mystic. That’s a word loaded with misunderstanding and prejudice. But I like it. And I’ll be using it. Here’s making it plain. Be someone who believes in and strives for the constant presence of God — in prayer, but also in life. It’s simple — that presence is something you very simply practice… initially imperfectly in all the conscious moments of your life, but more and more perfectly in the times that really matter.
Awakening to Reality is your only shot at true happiness. Blink, and you’ll miss it. Don’t miss life. Don’t go through it blindly. It’s a gift and you can live it only this once. Start seeing it all around you, in everyone around you.
That’s it. That’s what I feel… That’s what is real for me today. It’s all about life — true life and true relationships.
