Mirror Mirror: Does this make my freak ass look big? And something about drums...

"I was looking back to see if you were looking back to see
If I was looking back to see if you were looking back at me."

Jim Ed Brown - Maxine Brown

and:

"I used to live in a room full of mirrors; all I could see was me. I take my spirit and I crash my mirrors, now the whole world is here for me to see."
Jimi Hendrix

and then:

"Anytime I switch to another instrument, I immediately turn it into another kind of drum so that I can understand it better."
Levon Helm

Do you ever feel like a big ass mirror that nobody wants to look into?  When I allow myself to feel cocky, I do.  Other days, I take a humble look at myself in others.  I have two faces.  I can do that.  And I'm okay with both. 

Seriously, when it comes to the journey of a spirit disguised as human...well, I'd be real surprised if it was all about me.  Believe it or not.  Never mind the fact that we live in a world that contradicts itself.  How many self-help books are on your shelf?   Women are forever concerned with self image.  And a self-made man somehow sounds better doesn't it?  Self service anyone? 

But whatever you do, don't be selfish.

Forgive me, but there's some serious cosmic humor in being told you're self-centered and oh, by the way, people are mirrors.  Interesting.

Sooooo...it's not about me?  Well, pooh.  Is it about you? 

Maybe it's about us, them, this, that, those people over there?  How about we're all connected in one way or another and, depending on what we need to look at in our SELVES, the energetic cords that connect us will be a comfortable country mile long...or, snap!...in your face? 

Sometimes the cords are more like handcuffs, but only in extreme cases of attachment.

And some connections are like bungee cords, bouncing back and forth until the motion stops.  Either someone dared you to take that jump, pushed you or your horoscope that day gave you a thumbs up for taking a risk.  Regardless, you're not likely to take up bungee jumping on a daily basis unless you enjoy feeling dizzy, disoriented and uncertain. Strange karma anyone?

Moving along, someone once told me I was a freak magnet.  And someone recently told me that I would attract weird no matter what.  Sooooooo...if people are mirrors?  Anyway, both messengers are drummers.  What's that about?  Coincidence or not, if it's about me then I've decided to embrace my inner freak and learn to play drums...which I've wanted to do for a long time anyway.  Not so weird, actually.

Drums are the heart and soul of a band as far as I'm concerned, and here's why:  If you're a card-carrying member of the "spiritual community," when was the last time you were invited to a bass guitar circle? Or a harmonica circle? A lead guitar circle?  In my experience, never.  But please let me know if there is such a thing.  You might attend a spiritual gathering that involves singing bowls or Native American flute, or (my least favorite) hugging trees, but if there's a circle involved there will be drums.  There could even be fire and naked people.  But again, there will be drums because the language of rhythm transcends normal communication boundaries and the drum circle is the space provided where "hum drum" finds inner rhythm. 

Even better, when a circle becomes one inner rhythm.  I've always felt a strong energetic connection to the Ethiopian community.  Just thinking about the people, the music, the food puts a natural smile on my face.  The first time I attended an Ethiopian celebration, I was a spec of white in a sea of darkness...but when the ladies formed a circle and "Momma Mulu" called me with her drum and I stepped into that circle...wow, just wow.  I was laughing at my clumsiness.  The little girls were laughing with me.  And then something else took the place of my clumsiness.  I felt it in an instant.  It was the rhythm of my heart flowing into the rhythm of the drum and all the women in that circle.  We were connected.  We were as one.  That may very well be the only moment in my life, thus far, that I have truly felt that sense of oneness.  That is my definition of world peace...dancing to the rhythm of one heart, one drum.

It's also important to dance to the beat of your own inner drummer.  Makes life interesting. 

Meanwhile, I'll be practicing...got my sticks, got my pad (less offensive to the neighbors when you're in the "I suck at this phase") and the first thing my Ruby Lou self wants to put a beat to when I don't suck too bad is this - who doesn't love Rick James? - because it sounds easy:



Kimmy Sue is stupid enough to think this is possible:

Uh, maybe not. 

This concludes the first quarter of one soul's journey in the year 2012.  I'm a good student, I think, but if you look in the mirror I might also be a good teacher.

As for me and my big freak ass?  You can kick it, kiss it, sniff it or spank it...it's all good!

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