John Shoemaker: Thoughts/Updates

I have been reading a book about World War II. It is a reminder to
me of how premeditated war is. While it can sometimes seem that war
just "breaks out," in actuality the foundation for it is usually laid
far in advance, and takes much preparation to initiate. When I
consider all the energy it takes to plan and execute a war, I can't
help but ask myself if the need for it would be eradicated almost
entirely if we instead simply put that energy towards preventing it at
all cost.
I think it is a matter of will. How much do we want to understand
another person, another culture? How willing are we to accept and
respect the differences amongst us? How much work are we willing to do
before we give up on achieving a goal of peace? I think it takes more
energy up front to do these things, but in the longer run it saves so
much more by avoiding destructive forms of confrontation. In this way
I feel that war is basically the result of societal laziness. People
and governments are sometimes just too lazy to do the work that could
prevent the tragedy of war. Ask yourself this: how much effort is our
government putting into preventing war with Iran? Most of what I see
looks more like preparation for, rather than prevention of, war with
Iran.
I encourage us all to take a look at how this phenomenon plays out
in our own personal lives with those around us. Are we really
communicating with others effectively? Do we really respect others no
matter how different they are? Are we willing to work to maintain and
improve things? Or, do we allow misunderstandings to go unspoken and
cause discomfort, resentment, and conflict?
If we can't peacefully resolve conflict in our own personal lives,
then it probably shouldn't surprise us to see our government
representatives lacking in this skill as well. They will change when
we change. And we will change when you and I change.

This morning, after rising from bed, I decided to spend my first waking hour or so playing some of my songs. The truth is that I am in the process of going through my material to decide which songs I am going to record next for a new CD I am beginning to work on. Some of the songs I am considering are up to almost ten years old, some are brand new. The interesting thing is that as I sat playing this morning I began to have some revelations about some of the lyrics to a few of the songs. I realized that deep down I had always felt some of them could be a bit better, but just had never bothered to change them. This morning I put in that time and made some slight adjustments. I think the reason I hadn’t done this before is that I just figured the songs were already good enough in their original state, even if there were parts I sensed could be better. But now I have come to a different place, and I think it is an overall feeling about life in general. I no longer want things to be just good enough, I want them to be great, because I know they can be.

I encourage you to reflect on the way you do things, even some of your most ingrained behaviors that you already think work pretty well, and see if you can make some subtle changes to improve things for yourself and others. Even something minor, like smiling at a passerby, can change the entire tone of your day and theirs. It a great example of how good intentions and just a little effort can have a tremendous impact on the world.

Today I watched on television as Elliot Spitzer, Governor of New York in his first term, resigned his post due to the fact that he has been exposed as a regular client of an upscale prostitution operation. His wife was by his side at the news conference, looking as though she had been crying for days. Governor Spitzer glanced up into the camera before speaking and it looked to me as though he was trying not to cry himself. It was the look of a man who had been brutally humbled. I am glad that he decided to resign quickly and spare us the spectacle of impeachment proceedings. I would also like to wish him and his family well as they embark on their healing journey. There is no joy in watching others suffer, but there is a peace that can be found in the realization that all of us learn in our own way, when we are ready. And everything happens for a reason. Beyond the scandal and tragedy, there is the Infinite Universe, always and forever. And sometimes, when this world pounds you down, it is good to remember that great expanse from which it was born, so long ago.

I have noticed something recently which is very encouraging. More and more it seems that individuals are reaching out for something more positive, more healing, more sustainable, more wholesome. Zaidee (my lovely lady, if you don’t already know her) and I were just talking about how we don’t even remember the idea of natural foods stores when we were kids. I don’t think I was aware of that concept until my late teens at the earliest. Now, we have entire supermarkets of that kind. I remember having to start an environmental club in my high school because there wasn’t one. I imagine groups of that kind are commonplace now. There are yoga studios and holistic health centers everywhere, even in small rural towns. Truly, momentum has been increasing for positive movement in our society. It feels like we are really starting to roll, and I imagine what incredible things could occur in the near future if we put in place some leaders of vision that can match the energy and dedication of this vibrant movement towards a society that we can feel good about in more ways than we currently do

I have previously expressed my resonance with congressman Dennis Kucinich, who I feel is one of the great champions of this forward movement. Dennis dropped out of the presidential race a while back to focus on keeping his congressional seat. I wish Dennis well in his upcoming primary. I look forward to hearing his voice continue to reverberate through the halls of Congress for many years to come.

But I have been very impressed with the voice of Barak Obama. There is a decidedly refreshing tone to his message, one that oftentimes gives me the clear feeling that this is a human being who truly does represent a new direction, a growing movement for something very different than the conventional disappointments we seem to experience over and over again… the disappointments about the lack of integrity in our society; the disappointments in the lack of responsible, intelligent leadership; the disappointments of the lack of support we feel in pursuing our hopes and dreams for ourselves and for society. It seems to me that we are reaching a tipping point. The wheels are turning strong, and the hill seems less and less steep as we climb. I am excited about the future, and all the wonderful work ahead of us. One step at a time. Each moment holds the potential for excellence. We are magical beings capable of bewildering things. And everything comes down to choice.

I just completed my fifth weekend long training session with the Music for Healing and Transition Program. This program is designed to prepare us for playing in hospitals, nursing homes, hospice care settings and the like. It has been a highly educational and spiritually focusing experience for me and my music. After completing a few more tasks, I will be able to begin my 45 hour internship, after which I will be certified by MHTP as a Certified Music Practitioner. I highly recommend this program for musicians who want to have a positive impact in their communities. Find out more at http://www.mhtp.org

In the ancient philosophies of the Far Eastern world the New Year actually occurs in early February instead of the beginning of January. So, I thought I would take this moment to wish you a prosperous New Year in every positive way possible. It will certainly be a volatile year, with war, elections, financial concerns, etc. But what an amazing opportunity we have to grow. It is as though the world society is like a 15 year old, struggling to mature enough to get behind the wheel and start driving. At times we rebel against our own growth, which leads to painful circumstances. Other times we open up to the possibilities and make unprecedented discoveries and accomplishments. I am committed to opening up further in this New Year, and stretching into new possibilities for life. Someone sent me a quote, which basically said that if you can already grasp the enormity of your dreams, then they aren’t big enough. I know that with infinite dreams and focused intent, there is nothing we as human beings cannot achieve. This year can be the greatest ever if we only choose to make it so.

Unfortunately, the candidate that I felt represented the most potential for progressive change in government has dropped out of the presidential race. Dennis Kucinich, the Ohio Congressman, had been systematically rendered obsolete in the presidential campaign by a virtual media blackout of his campaign. Dennis was prevented from participating in the last several major debates by the major corporate media outlets. It really left me wondering what these people can't get away with. I mean, when ABC, NBC and CNN executives have sole discretion in determining who we get to hear, then is that really a democratic election process? Let's wake up and start demanding some more integrity from our industries, our leaders, and ourselves. After all, this is our world too, right? Dennis has launched a new website to refocus his progressive candidacy into a sustainable national movement we can all be part of. It is still being designed, but you can already sign up. Just go to http://integritynow.org to get on board.

Music For A New World is a new radio podcast show devoted to promoting original positive music. This radio program is part of the Success Talk Channel, which offers many programs on various topics. Host Allan Hunkin recently added a podcast for my song "Wishes". You can check it out here: http://www.success-talk.com/index.asp?s=s&sd=4454&hd=286&ch=55&affnum=0

Well, I'm happy to report that I have just completed my first interview for a magazine article. It was really a blast. The relatively new magazine is called Positive Thinking, and it is full of, well, positive stuff. I was happy to find out that it exists, and thrilled that they wanted to include me in the "Love Your Life" section of the January/February edition. You can find out more about this cool magazine and get a free sample at their website, www.positivethinkingmag.com. Also, thought I'd put in a plug for the great photographer who came out to take pictures of me for the article. His name is Scott Barrow and he does some amazing work. You can check out his work at his website, www.scottbarrow.com .