You & that Drum

I think most people don’t know they have a drum. A universal right to set your personal pace, dictate your race, choose the music you make and create the path you take.

Marching to the beat of YOUR drum is how you become successful in everything, it’s like OWNING who you are… Not renting that space, but flat-out owning it like a boss.

The rhythm with which you live your life should be dictated by you, not others.

“We are one”… in many ways this is SO true, but clearly, since we are all so different –it’s important we acknowledge we are individuals. Acknowledge your drum, beat that sucker, and play it hard.

Balance is maybe what I should have titled this post because finding the healthy ground between knowing we are all connected, and knowing you are wholly only in charge of yourself and who you are; is where it’s at. Finding that balance might be one of the many meanings of life. It might also be one of the many struggles.

I recently wrote something about selfishness. How I don’t believe in being –ish where my SELF is concerned. I want to be Self-FULL. Explaining more on this idea will change the subject of this post, and I want to stick with the four thoughts I have already mentioned…

-Marching to the beat of your own drum, -We are one, -We are individuals, and -Finding balance there-in. Keeping me important and being self-full is one of the ways I do that, and you can read about it in a book I will finish soon. (and have here on my blog as a download)

So… the drum…

Your drum might be covered in numbers, or splashed with paint. You might not know your drum because others nearby beat theirs so loudly you cannot hear yours.

I saw fellow students in high school who had not only found their drum, but they were playing it successfully. I wanted a drum, but I didn’t have a clue how to get one. I found my drum late in life, when I started doing the creative things I craved doing. Finally allowing myself to experiment with the tools and skills that interested me, helped me not only find my drum, but helped me realize it’s big enough I can play numerous songs on it… Sometimes even classical music.

I now know my drum so well now that I find it easy to recognize what is my beat, and what is others. It’s even easy to hear others trying to tune into my beat, which is nice, because sometimes others are in search of a beat that feels and sounds good, but can’t find it alone. My beat is unique, theirs is too, but for some reason, listening to mine can help them find theirs. We are all together, part of the same band. Reaching the point where we can play together and alone, and doing it well, that is balance.

The best image for this post is a video… Enjoy the amazing Jon Gomm. (shared  by a friend who very much knows his drum!)

Lyrics for those that want them:

Born in your tiny prison cell

A million times smaller than you are

One single drop, and you're risen up

Afraid of the dark…

You cracked up through the pavement

In super, super slow motion

Though your back is gently breaking

You reach for the light…

We can’t see everything

And we can’t hear everything

We can’t see everything

We can’t hear …everything!

We can’t see everything.

We can’t hear, everything!

Weakness is not your weakness

You are what you grow into

You're not what you were…