Keeping the Dream

Oh, it felt so good! I can’t remember the last time Stacey and I had a full recording session, but today we actually made time for one, and completed a song.

I have so much on my plate these days, and with homeschooling my youngest, sometimes it seems so overwhelming. This week my little girl was away at the beach. It felt strange not to have her here, and I missed her, but this time alone, also, helped me to realize how important it is to have some balance in my life.

Even with things that are really important and worthwhile are not good if you lose sight of everything else. One of the hardest things for me to do is to give me time…time to reflect, time to create, and not just in a product/business sense, but to create for the joy of it.

I love being an independent artist, but when you are, you have to wear most, if not all, of the hats. That can take you away from the spontaneity and freshness of the creative flow. It can make you a stranger to your own creative muse.

This week I have given my self the opportunity to get reacquainted with that muse. And it feels good.

Demian,
~DreamSinger

Voicelessness.com has a lot of valuable information about reclaiming your voice and the many ways you can lose it. I have found the information here to be very helpful, but more than that the message board associated with this site , dealing with narcissism and related issues of abuse, is probably one of the highest calibar message boards that I have found.

As with any message board or blog, you should always protect your privacy and be mindful of the fact that there are many people from various levels of their own healing who are a part of the community.

Having said that, I have to say that communities such as this one have provided me with much support and information for my own healing, and are worth checking out.

Well, I decided to take the plunge and create a MySpace site for DreamSinger.

I really, really despise advertisements, but since there’s only one banner, I guess I can live with it for the potential for interaction with more people.

It’s been pretty interesting. The pages are really new, and I’ve only tentatively reached out with the DreamSinger page and have yet to notify anyone of my personal page, but I’ve already received some invites to be friends with people and that’s always exciting. However, some people have the most graphic photos on their profile page, and while I respect their right to do that, I have to admit it was quite a shocker for me…certainly more than I ever wanted to see! So, in a networking community, you quickly learn to seek out and to connect with those who are more likeminded. Diversity is wonderful, but there’s nothing wrong with defining the parameters of your own circle of friends.

Anyway, take a peek if you like. The URL for DreamSinger is www.myspace.com/keepingthedream.

(The url for this myspace profile has been changed from “dreamsingermusic” to “keepingthedream” as of 1/2/07)

Demian,
~DreamSinger
Keeping the Dream

Some thoughts I posted on another board and want to share here:

“I’ve been an activist for various causes for many, many years, and one of the things I have learned is that looking for a desired outcome for one’s efforts can lead you to depression or despair. That’s because you never know exactly what your impact will be.

Sometimes, it’s what we think it will be and what we hope it will be, but more often it’s not. That does not mean our work is for nothing. It just means that we, as humans, don’t have a full view.

Just because we can’t see the roots growing under ground, does not mean nothing’s happening, and just because we can’t stay in one spot to witness the sprout coming up, doesn’t mean it won’t grow…or that someone else watching us sow, won’t be inspired to sow their own seeds, which may in fact, take better root than ours.

There’s another saying, “No good is ever wasted”, and I do believe that…whether I ever see it or not.”

Demian,
~DreamSinger

So easy to get discouraged
to live in dismay
to turn off
to run and hide
to seek refuge in apathy or fanaticism
to succumb to a sense of helplessness and fall into despair.

To be so empty to become full our ourselves
and nothing else

So easy to despair
which is why we can’t do it.

Because we…the earth and our children deserve better.
Because we were not made to lie down and die…or to kill each other.

Because we were made to paint,
to dance and sing,
to raise families or be part of one,
to explore the vastness of our world and the fullness of our hearts,
to use our minds to discern our actions and impact on each other and the environment,
to live with dignity and when the time comes
to die with grace.

There are already people living like this,
and a choice that is open to one is open to all…or, at least, enough to make a difference.

And the bottom line is if it’s a choice I can make,
it doesn’t matter if others are or not.

I’m responsible for me and what I bring to life.

And so I believe, steadfastly and hesitantly,
stubbornly refusing to become the cynic
a part of me already is,
but to go beyond it,
taking it lovingly with me,
to a place of healing,
as I hold this vision of a world of peace,
filled with people living meaningful lives
with more than tolerance, but reverence
for the earth and for each other.

I don’t need to know how it will all turn out.
I don’t need to have all the answers.

I just need one - mine.
And I choose to keep the dream
by living as much of it as I can.

Demian,
~DreamSinger

I spent a good part of the day working on my websites, fine tuning them, or in the case of Keeping the Dream, giving it a total overhaul. I guess my experience with the kids this weekend had a pretty big impact on me. Anyway, it made me realize how much peace and peaceful interrelating is to me.

Anyway, what I came to realize is how much I love every aspect of the creative process, including those that might appear to be drudgery.
For instance, I love the editing and revising part of writing and I love the mixing and producing part of music - both of them being their own art form, and just as important part of the overall creative process as the actual inspired moment. I enjoy learning to use new software, new tools in the craft and creating my websites and blogs. To me, it’s all part of the whole creative process.

You know, I once read where an author said he hated writing, but loved having written. And I thought, “Then why bother?” I love the final “product”, but I, also, love the journey getting there. You spend much too much time honing your craft and actually doing it, to not be happy until you’re done!

Why not enjoy the ride? Whether it’s rough white water or a lovely glide on slow moving air currents, there’s so much to be gained from every leg of the journey.

Demian,
~DreamSinger