I’ve played the guitar since before I
reached puberty; that’s closing in on half a century. In that time, I found delight in figuring out
how to play popular songs without having to resort to purchasing the sheet
music. From my experience I found out
that sheet music, like all royalties generating arrangements, is a moving scale
of cost based on the proximity to the original work; the actual notation sheet
music is the most expensive. If it were
in an anthology of greatest hits of the decade, then they cleverly changed the
key so neophytes have difficulty mastering the derivative chords. Unless, of course, you developed a keen ear
for music; in which case you sort it out into the key that fit your vocal
range, (like mine). Such was the case
for me with A Dan Fogelberg song, Run for
the Roses. I figured it out and was rather proud of my accomplishment. I was singing that song in the shower this
morning and the lyrics caught my attention from a different point of view. They
were: Your fate is delivered/your moment’s at hand/ it’s a chance of a
lifetime/in a lifetime of chance/ its high time you joined in the dance/it’s
high time you joined in the dance. He was singing about the life of a race
horses, but I found it applicable to anyone who takes life for granted;
especially in those times I do; A chance of a lifetime in a lifetime of
chance. Sure enough; I learned that
there’s a third chance of women’s eggs being impregnated (if a couple were
trying to get pregnant and knew with certainty when she was ovulating). Then there’s another eighteen percent chance
of a zygote implanting on the uterine wall, with yet another eighteen percent
of it staying viable in the first trimester.
Meaning we’re all here, learning and living as we do, for the results of
about a 33% chance of being born. That’s
pretty awesome really; the odds are against anyone arriving alive.
Having
navigated successfully thus far, would any of us make wiser choices if our
success were foremost in our daily routines?
I am here by chance. And that
every day, filled with the inexplicable unknown possibilities that linger in a
moving, jostling world, (never mind actions and behaviors I’ve performed to
instill the ire and dedication of others to punish me for violating their
happy.) Yet, happenstance has no list of names to visit; it just plucks you out
of the crowd for being in the right place at the right time. All of that to shape and pour concrete into
this concept of gratitude for being.
There
is one more reason I’d like to add towards why any, and all of us have reason
to be in the here and now. The odds were
stacked against us even making it to the field of play. Funny how an obscure verse of a mostly
forgotten song can blossom at an unexpected time to remind me.
Dan Fogelberg
died December of 2007, and for many his passing wasn’t even noticed. I lost an inspiration I took for granted: I lived
as if he’d be around forever. I’d say we’re given reminders every moment of
every day; but we have to put our explorer hat back on and seek to discover…or
rediscover…the wonder we’re so fortunate to be part of. Thanks again Dan, for the wakeup calls firmly
planted in the art of your vision.
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