Musical Musings

Here's a note I wrote on Facebook, before I had this blog:

The last few times I've listened to music driving home, I've had the same train of thought. This music, at this time of night, really really affects me. It affects my mood, it affects how fast I drive, it affects what time I go to bed when I get home, and it affects what I think about. After about 8 years of playing music, and a few years of writing it, I've come to a very important realization. Though perhaps a bit late.

Music affects nearly everyone. From the tone deaf to those who have perfect pitch, almost everyone will sing along to a song they enjoy. And nearly all of those people will be emotionally affected by this music that pervades their minds so easily. If I, as a music writer, have such a power to affect peoples' emotions, shouldn't I be very careful with it? Musicians have an important responsibility, and have to realize this.

This is why I automatically have distaste for young rising stars like Justin Bieber or Miley Cyrus (people reading this, don't turn this into a Bieber or Cyrus debate, I've had enough of those) writing music about falling in love with a member of the opposite sex, which is something I'm pretty sure they haven't really experienced yet. They are putting ideas and emotions in the heads of other youths who begin to believe that this is what love is, among other concepts that influential musicians have written music about.

So I say to music fans, be careful what you listen to, because a song can so easily change the way you are, for better or worse. And I say to aspiring musicians like myself, be careful what you write about, and try to stick to what you are familiar with. You are putting ideas and emotions into other peoples' heads, and that is a big thing. We must also remember that what we do should be to the glory of God. This applies to both listening to and playing music.

Aurora Borealis

The Northern Lights is one of the most beautiful sights I've experienced in my short lifetime. Not only the lights themselves, but the atmosphere in which one can observe them. The first time I saw them was at Shuswap Lake (one of my favourite places in the world) out on the dock with the crickets, and the soft lapping of the water on the pebbles and larger rock surfaces (not a geologist, though I wish I knew some more rock names), with the lights of civilization across the lake. This lake is surrounded by green mountains, and above the rounded peak of the mountain opposite our little beach I could see some faint green ripples. It's like a mix of light and water.

The second, and last, time was just this Thanksgiving weekend in Smithers. This was easily more impressive than at Shuswap, and more memorable. Sitting in a hot tub with a few of my best friends in nearly freezing temperature. It was one of the most serene and peaceful moments of my life. Never before had I felt the majesty and beauty of God's creation so powerfully.

Here, I liked it so much, I wrote a poem:

A ripple of faint green
runs along the horizon,
and a ripple of frost
runs between my shoulders.

Hosts of birches,
tall, thin, and white,
frame the luminescence
and wave in return,
the cool night air giving life
to their long, bony fingers.

Beauty in Everything

I'm not going to write, "hey, I'm Richard, I'm new at this blogging thing", because it's not true. I'm not new to blogging, but it's been a long time. And back then, I just wrote silly things that I figured made me sound philosophical and deep.

Not much has changed, really.

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Recently, as in today, I had a few conversations with a couple of friends concerning and idea that had popped in my head. I like to sum up this idea in a wise sounding saying: "A secret to happiness is finding beauty in any situation".

Now by this I don't mean the conventional optimism. I'm speaking, for one thing, of contentedness. To be content is to find the beauty in the situation you are in. This involves being thankful to God for putting you in that situation.

This also applies to relationships. And by relationships, I mean those with the opposite sex. I was reminded this summer during a Bible Study I did with my friends of the importance of contentedness in my status (I didn't want to say relationship status, because that's too... Facebooky). It is important to realize the beauty and be content with the idea of being single before entering into a relationship.

Another meaning to be pulled out of this concept could be finding beauty in your current location. Living in the Fraser Valley makes this easy. We have copious amounts of stunning lakes, myriads of coniferous trees, and mountains all around. On a recent trip to Smithers, I didn't feel the same way, at least not immediately. We arrived at night, in the dark, in the rain. I felt that I was in an alien place, and quite uncomfortable. The next morning, however, we drove on a small road, regarded by birches on either side, and refreshed by the crisp, cool atmosphere. Then I began to feel comfortable and relaxed. This is when I realized the beauty of Smithers. Even more so later when enjoying the astounding Northern Lights from a hot tub at 2 in the morning.

Lately I find that it is not hard to find the beauty in my situation. God has blessed me incredibly, and I and constantly reminded of this by my friends, music, literature, and everything else I love. When rating troubles on a global scale, a tough essay ranks very, very low.

- Richard Baartman