Great artists in the face of adversity

[Jung Roe]

So incredibly moving…Vincent, This world was never meant for one

As beautiful as you…

https://youtu.be/-Oliy2ZGdNY

[Daryl Jones]

So many musicians, artists, performers have faced horrible and seemingly insurmountable obstacles to create what they did and share with the world.

In the contemporary world, we’ve lost superstars like Neil Peart, Gord Downy, Jeff Healey, Glenn Frey, Karen Carpenter and so many others to cruel and often self inflicted ills…so heartbreaking.

Still others of great fame go out of their way to try their utmost to make the lives of others inflicted with hardships better and more fulfilling. And I do not mean those that use their fortunes and successes in vain political ventures. That is hypocrisy in the saddest form (my opinion of course).

To see this lady going forward with a full bore attitude is very inspiring indeed. I have lost friends to MS, and have still others fighting daily with it and I feel so helpless and insignificant in their plight. One of my friends (with the disease) wife bought him a guitar a while back (she knew I played a bit) and she has asked for hints to help him out. I’m not skilled enough to offer much in the way of teaching guidance other than some very basic structure and techniques I was taught years ago, but it did give him enough to seek out a seriously qualified instructor so I’ll take that as a win. At least he didn’t give up on it and is still working at it. I’ve been trying to get him to come over and see if he can jam along with me but he’s a proud guy, so he’s understandably nervous about it. A feeling I know all to well.

But many things in life are much like learning to box in a fight school gym, sooner or later you gotta step inside the ropes and take one on the chin to see what you are made of.

[Jung Roe]

Hi Daryl

Thanks for sharing the story about your friend with MS. I hope you both get to jam together on the guitar. It is so hard when people close to you get ill with a disease that is not curable. All you can do is be there for them.

A few years ago I had a scare with my vision, got up one morning and everything was blurry, so went to emergency. It was scary when the eye specialist could not explain what was happening, and just sent me home with a bunch of special eye drops. For the few days I was down at home and couldn’t do anything, all I wanted was my normal life back, the going to work, the daily grind I use to call it, looked so incredibly good from that perspective. A few days later my sight returned to normal, complications due to dry eyes. That first day when my eye sight was back to normal, I went for a walk, and never felt so wonderful to see the blue sky and beautiful fluffy clouds. Reminded me not to waste my time and all that I was taking for granted and truly appreciate every thing I have, even the most mundane things. When covid hit, it reminded me again of that feeling, how good life really is until your freedom to just be able to go to Starbucks and enjoy a Caramel Machiatto, is suddenly taken away.

Franz Schubert is another great composer who suffered from a big illness, extreme manic depression like Van Gogh, but in his short life (lived to 31), continued to create his music that would stand as some of the greatest in history. Michael J Fox was hit with Parkinson’s in 1998, and yet continued to act and appear in sitcoms and movies for decades, retiring in 2020.

[Daryl Jones]

The things we take for granted indeed. Sight, hearing, dexterity…we often don’t realize what we have until something threatens them. I’ve always been active, strong and fit, not really gifted but athletic. But I found out in 1997 I was far from bullet proof, and the years of sports injuries and accidents are beginning to manifest themselves in undeniable ways. But so far, so good anyway.
I have another 2 maybe 3 years of racing my bike, I can still teach my martial arts classes, and I will play my guitars and sing for as long as I can still handle the instrument and hold a note. Life is good. Damn the torpedoes!

[Jung Roe]

Hi Daryl

I have a feeling it will be much more than 2 or 3 years, keep doing what you love, for as long as you can! There is a virtue in that, it’s inspiring. Life is good indeed!👍🙂

[David Herrick]

One of my favorite comedians, Norm Macdonald, was diagnosed with cancer in 2013, but kept it private and continued performing right up until a couple of months before his death in 2021.

He even made a joke about it. With regard to the media euphemism of “lost his battle with cancer” (rather than “died of cancer”), he said, “I’m not a doctor, but I’m pretty sure that if you die, the cancer dies at exactly the same time. So that, to me, that’s not a loss; that’s a draw.”

[Jung Roe]

Hi David, I love the defiant spirit of Norm, he didn’t lose to cancer, but rather it was a draw because the cancer dies too. In essence it is that defiance that no matter what the universe throws at me, it can never take away my freedom, free will, independence and essence of who I am. In the case of musicians and artists, it’s their art, their creativity, their free expression, art will live.

[Daryl Jones]

I lost a young (just turned 40) niece to leukemia last August. She was so very brave through all of it, but in the end it took her. It was (stoll is) a difficult thing. 4 young daughters left behind and a (thankfully) loving husband. My Brother and his wife are still reeling with the ongoing grief, Christmas was a very painful time wgen it should have been full of joy for them. She wasn’t gifted in the music or artistic sense, but she was a terrific mom, those girls were so lucky to have her. The oldest (17) has taken the role of Alpha without reservation or the need for personal gratification, so much like her mother. Pam would be so proud of her.

It’s so true, live for the day. Never be afraid to tell the ones you care for how much they mean to you. Never stop doing what makes your life full and rich in deeds and accomplishments; it isn’t money that makes success in the long run. It’s in the doing and how you do it that matters. If you can make someone’s day brighter with what you do and who you are as a person, that is the greatest gift you can ever bestow on anyone.

[Jung Roe]

Hi Daryl

So sorry for your loss, condolences. Losing someone you love like that is so hard I know.

Life and the people in your life at this moment are so precious, it’s always so important to reflect on that and appreciate all you have and celebrate that blessing every time you are with them. Never take anything for granted.

[Jung Roe]

Beethoven, his life and music was all about triumph and overcoming fate and hardship. His music often contains immense pain and suffering that transforms through beauty into triumph and victory. His life is as inspiring as his music. His music is about defiance and overcoming adversity. I remember my mom use to tell me when she was a teenager, her father died, and the Korean War broke out, how she took refuge in Beethoven’s 5th Symphony. The power of music.

“Young Beethoven’s Stirring Letter to His Brothers About the Loneliness of Living with Deafness and How Music Saved His Life”

“Ah! how could I possibly quit the world before bringing forth all that I felt it was my vocation to produce?” -Beethoven

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by  Jung Roe.

[Jung Roe]

As Paul McCartney said of Bach, “just put a beat, behind it and it’s what we are doing”. The same can be said of Beethoven. Just put it on a fast guitar!

https://youtu.be/gUarhwho0f8

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by  Jung Roe.

[Jung Roe]