Sunday, March 6, 2011

A Mind Full of Greatness



Last night, on our little island of Kauai, there was a fundraiser for local public radio station, KKCR with Makana and Buffy Sainte-Marie.

I adore Makana; I have seen him play several times and enjoyed every moment. To a sold out crowd, this one man and his golden guitar, filled a whole auditorium with awe. There is a dance between him and his guitar; there is a soul communication that is sheer beauty to behold, and he is only getting better.



I went to the fundraiser with a dear friend, to see Makana. I admittedly did not know who Buffy Saint-Marie was. By the end of her first song, I wondered how I hadn't  known her.  Not only is she responsible for endless songs I do know and love, but she is a kick-ass performer. At 68, she tore up the stage with her energy, her vivaciousness, and her Cree cries pierced through a veil that baffled, and dazzled a Celtic Caucasian like myself.


I found that my hurried mind was stupefied by brilliance. When Makana manipulated his guitar into a Hawaiian waterfall, I was no longer thinking about how  I was going to spend my time at the end of Spring semester, or how I was going to afford the endless list of travel destinations I had in mind for myself. In fact, I involuntarily gasped at the melodies cascading over us.

When Buffy played with a fire that most twenty-somethings cannot comprehend, and with a tenderness that is only from wisdom, I no longer wondered what  I was going to do to jump the next phase of my work,  to get to the next level of an illusioned race, or how I was going to achieve my self-imposed accolades. Rather, I thought: I need to fill my mind with greatness.





The stars that "make it"  - and my stars, may not be the same as yours -  serve to remind me, that with heart and action, they do it. That's it. Heatbeats and footsteps. One at a time. One after another. In the light of their brilliance, I resonated my own brilliance; I did not shirk into questions or doubts.

So not only did I receive an amazing night of musical mastery, but a reminder to be responsible for my own environmental diet: to surround my mind with greatness, to perpetuate its own.





2 comments:

Unknown said...

Mahalo Kate for your words, I was on my way to the concert and I had one of those impromptu syncronisitities. Ended up chatting to a friend in small town for hours and I missed the concert. I drove past as I headed home to Lawai and could feel the vibes, love being scattered across crowds of lovers. Splended. Big squeeze and hope to have an impromptu meeting or an organized one would be great too. Love always, Hezar

Wisdom of One said...

Mahalo Hezar!! That concert was a lovefest. Ditto on meeting up soon. Hugs and love, Kate