My sister-in-law, Jess, is a quiet inspiration to everyone she meets. She doesn’t seem to know it and never seeks recognition. I hope she won’t be upset with me for saying this publicly—but it needs to be said loud and proud. I’m a big fan. She’s the wind beneath my wings—and the wings of many.
In my life, there’s only a small handful of people I can truly count on when the muck gets mucky. Jess is one of them. She’s wise enough to take a breath before reacting, but at the end of the day, I know she’s got my back.
She’s been encouraging me to keep going ever since I started writing on Substack. She was even my first paid subscriber. She probably doesn’t know this, but there were many times I almost didn’t write. Knowing she had paid for something I promised to deliver kept me going. I didn’t want her to feel slighted or cheated in any way. That small nudge kept the fire lit within me—even though I’m sure she didn’t intend it that way. She was just being supportive. But support matters, and it’s important to deliver what you promise.
And it hasn’t stopped there. Recently, she showed me how poems can be turned into music, which inspired a whole new line of thought for me. I’ve always heard music in nature. The musical flow of thought is the rhythm I write in—especially in poetry. So making the leap to intentionally try making music felt natural. But I’d never actually attempted it. It was one of those things I always told myself, “No, you’re not qualified. You can’t do that.”
But what does that even mean?
If we’re qualified to live and breathe, we’re qualified to make music.
Ok, so granted—it might not be the best or most earth-shattering music you’ve ever heard. It’s the equivalent of your first pie, a messy painting, or a homemade scarf. It’s a bit of a disaster.
But was it fun? Yes.
Was it creative? Yes.
Did it feel good? Absolutely.
Will I do it again? Also YES.
And I hope you will too. We all need to create more. Make more art and fewer excuses. SHARE what you make. Art is powerful. This is how we create change, friends.
Thank you, Jess, for your love and support. Thank you for the inspiration!
✨💖✨🎶✨💖✨🎼✨💖✨🎶✨💖✨🎼✨💖✨🎶✨💖✨🎼✨💖✨🎶✨💖✨
https://youtube.com/shorts/ibmwEker1Ak?feature=share
And I’ve even picked up the guitar again… but that’s going to take time because old Luna here is out of tune and my fingers are softer than Play-Dough, and now these three finger tips are a deep shade of red and throbbing. It’s been about four years since I played last. I could play a few chords and sang songs on the balcony of our old apartment with my youngest son at night as he strummed along with his ukulele. I miss those days. We need more music in our lives. It’s time for it to come back. I’m coming back.
I always will be here for you! No matter the distance between time and space, I'm built to walk fine flickering lines. Thank you for doing the absolute same for me, you are the light and I will keep whispering love to your eternal flame forever. The symphony I hear when near your presence, the echo of it in your footsteps, the reflection of it in your written word-it's just so magical, resonates, and has a reach that when amplified by support and love-is truly limitless. I know it has to be hard to channel all of this, our bodies aren't meant to alone save the world even with all the grace you carry. I know you carry hope within so courageously brave. Two seemingly disparate truths are evident-the fear surrounding is real but also the rising is gathering. You hold these two truths and trust in your ancient knowing. One calls the other awake, the other rises in response. You are the light and love's reply to the imbalance of light and darkness that bore you and all of us, I suspect to begin paying down our ancestor's principal debt that has unfortunately compounded with every generation. Love is present but we have to choose it to keep it around. You choose love in every humanely way possible even when it's like holding blades cutting into your palms. I see you and most assuredly hope, you keep going but also take rest. No railroad to freedom was ever built alone, there were places of rest along the way. I can't stop listening to your song. <3
This is beautiful. All any of us need is that one person who supports and encourages us -Jess sounds like a gem.