Dear Spiritual Companions,

I spent yesterday at the French Quarter Festival here in New Orleans.  It is an annual event where the food and jazz of New Orleans is celebrated.  What a glorious day to participate in God jazzing up one’s life.

I have always loved to watch music makers take a basic theme and let the spirit move them.  What is suddenly is transformed into something greater.  Jazz, to me, is so much like life in God.  We are given this life – the theme and we can do with it whatever we choose.  Our culture is an instrument in our evolving song.  The ongoing events in our outer world is another instrument.  People in our lives represent still another piece of the band.  We play off of each other in our musical rendition.  Like a jazz ensemble we each take our turns playing our part of the song of life.  Without all the instruments we can’t be in harmony.

The funny thing is often in life we have problems when someone lives differently then we do.  This seems to be the case the more something means to us.  It is like we will lose our essence or our music if someone plays the game of life uniquely.  In jazz it seems different.  It appears as though each performer draws from the gift of someone else’s music.  It inspires them to play notes they may never have tried before.  It also gives them a chance to bask in the beauty of another’s interpretation of the music.  In addition, the better another plays the more the others are encouraged to expand their musical ability.

Maybe we could learn from Jazz.  We are in this life together.  No one gets out alive.  We each have a certain amount of time to play our music.  Your interpretation of life or God can only enhance mine.  Your take on things may open doors to new ways of seeing my life or to affirm to me this is the right way for me to play it.  Your greatness, however you define the word, does not take away from my littleness.  It actually encourages me to stretch in the way I play my notes!  In addition, your talents may give me a chance to stop and take in the beauty of a different life in a new way.

I hope to continue to play with you in this thing we call ”A Jazzy Life.”

Peace

Gary