I used to look high and low for material. I would search hard to ideas upon which to build songs or stores. I don’t fight as hard anymore. Now I stand still more often, watching and listening.

Franz Kafka (pictured above) wrote it like this: “You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet, still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.”

When I pay more attention to the lives of my immediate friends and neighbors, I note that their stories bear a striking resemblance to the stories I’d heard referenced by great communicators. that’s because the stories growing out of the lives of my imitate friends and neighbors are the stories referenced by great artists and communicators.

Here’s what I know now:

Great artists are’t necessarily or uniquely surrounded by beautiful stories. They’re just paying attention to the beauty of the stories around them.


(This is a short thought from the book I’m currently writing. Yet untitled, it will be a followup to Title Pending. Add yourself to my email list to learn more)